


The Price of Peridot

by GraveTiger



Category: Haikyuu!!, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Arranged Marriage, Bonding, CatBros, Coercion, Death Threats, First Time, M/M, Messing with ages, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Politics, Threats of Violence, hidden identity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:22:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 37,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27911452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GraveTiger/pseuds/GraveTiger
Summary: They're forbidden from touching royalty. It's a well known law, punishable by imprisonment... possibly death. So why is this filthy little thing grabbing him and running from the guards?And why does he feel like he's seen those green eyes before...?
Relationships: Frederica Greenhill/Yang Wenli, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Kozume Kenma & Yuri Plisetsky, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Otabek Altin/Lee Seung Gil, Otabek Altin/Lee Seung Gil/Yuri Plisetsky, Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Takeda Ittetsu/Ukai Keishin
Comments: 186
Kudos: 191





	1. Chapter 1

Otabek wasn’t sure what the point of being in the Council meeting was.

It wasn’t like he had much of a say in the proceedings or decisions made.

Those were left for his father and his two eldest brothers, making his presence and those of his other brothers nothing more than show. There were so many that he wasn’t even sure why he, the youngest with no hope for the throne, was required to be here. He, like his eldest brother, had no interest in politics. Days spent in meetings felt pointless and he’d much rather be out training with the Guard. Wenli wasn’t of the same opinion of preferred activity, but there were things he’d much rather be doing than sit there. Unlike Wenli, Otabek wasn’t the Emperor’s eldest son nor was he a strategic genius.

He struggled to not fidget or pick at the hem of the ornate court robes he had to wear for these things. Chikara, the brother older than him by six months, glanced at him, mouth downturned in an effort not to laugh at him. Jean, the brother only three months older than him, had no such impulse control and snorted. That only made Keishin, a Prince by marriage **and** the Captain of the Guard, glare at them all in turn. That was downplayed by Wenli straight faced yawning behind his massive sleeve.

Budget meetings were so _fucking_ boring.

“I don't see how raising the taxes again will help,” the second-born and Crown Prince, Yuuri, said, “They’ve already been raised this year and it will sour the people toward us should we have to raise them again next year.”

“Then explain to me where we should cut the budget,” one Councilman argued.

“I’m telling you,” another one said, “the military can afford it.”

“That’s a great idea,” Keishin crossed his arms, sliding his narrow eyes at said Councilman, “Shortchange the men in charge of your safety. Give them shit and-”

“I think-” an Alpha by name of Daichi Sawamura, set to marry Prince Koushi in the next six months, interrupted in that gentle but earnest way of his, “what Prince Keishin _means_ to say-”

“ _Don’t tell me what I mean to say_ ,” Keishin grumbled.

“-is that cutting money to the military will either result in lesser wages for the men, which will cause disgruntlement, or the loss of the highest functioning weaponry. The lack of money there will keep the troops from being able to replace things until there’s serious wear and that could impact the effectiveness all around.”

“What do you think, Hajime?” Wenli asked, yanking the silent Prince by marriage into the discussion.

If there was one man who **did not** belong at a Council meeting, it was Hajime Iwaizumi. The son of the southernmost Magistrate was a wild animal forced to wear a jeweled collar and play nice. Said Alpha straightened further, giving the entire table his default disdainful stare, “Slash your banquet budget.”

That was the most reasonable thing Otabek had heard all morning.

Unfortunately none of the others agreed and the meeting ended with nothing resolved.

Yuuri’s mate, Victor, a former Prince of Vetios, was waiting outside, their youngest, Lev, in his arms. The older child, Alisa, hugged her sire’s legs. Both pups had their dam’s silver hair, though both had green eyes instead of Yuuri’s dark brown or Victor’s lighter blue. The color was odd especially given the intensity of shade, but it hadn’t been questioned. If anything, it just made Victor stare into space with a sad wistful smile… something about a dead brother or something.

Otabek hadn’t paid that much attention to the war with Vetios. He’d been fourteen when Victor arrived at the palace as a mate for Yuuri. The war with the country had been quick, lasting only a year or so before the former king, Victor’s father, and the entire immediate family, minus Victor, had been killed. The king's brother or a cousin or something had been crowned in his place and the countries had signed a peace treaty with Victor being sent to them as a war prize. Otabek found it a little barbaric but both Victor and Yuuri seemed happy enough with the arrangement so it was hard to care _too_ much.

Wenli’s son, eight-year-old Julien, slid off the banister, books in hand. The Alpha lays a hand on the boy’s head and they walk off together. Otabek will probably see him down at the pits later for a little sparring practice.

There's a nurse a little ways down holding Keishin’s second child, Asahi. The older child, Tatsuki is nowhere to be seen but he’s five this year and probably running some other nurse ragged elsewhere. The one holding Asahi apologizes to Keishin who takes the toddler and pokes him in the nose. Apparently the pup grabs his father’s finger and just cuddles. Keishin looks resigned as he walks off cradling his boy.

The only one missing is Tooru but he’s probably taking a nap with his own pups. The less-than-a-year Riseki still had a penchant for waking up at all hours… or so Hajime had mentioned while digging the heels of his hands into his eyes to fend off exhaustion a few days ago.

Hajime’s long gone by now anyway, being one of the first to leave with Daichi hot on his heels. All that’s left is Jean, who’s talking with a few of the Councilmen, all of whom are wearing… tolerate expressions. One does make to speak with Chikara but he’s not quick enough and the fourth Prince glides on by toward Otabek.

He stifles a yawn behind the huge sleeve, “Any plans for the rest of the day?”

“Probably the sand pits for awhile,” Otabek replied, “I should probably get a gift for Takeda too.”

“He’s been holed up for nearly a week hasn’t he?” Chikara mused, “I wonder how long they’ll let it go for?”

“I don’t think he’s due yet,” he squinted over into the courtyard, “Asahi was nearly a month early… I think they’re taking precautions this time.”

“I _thought_ he was too early to go denning.”

“I wonder what it’ll be…”

“Doesn’t matter,” Chikara sighed, “Yuuri’s already got two pups.”

“Alisa and Lev don’t seem to have an Alpha’s temperament though.”

“So it goes to Julian,” Chikara shrugged.

“Wenli’s a bastard… Father’s corpse would roll.”

“Ok so it goes to Tatsuki,” Chikara shrugged, “I think we can all agree he’s probably an Alpha.”

“Probably,” Otabek sighs. He honestly doesn’t care. Their father will, in all likeliness, stay on the throne for another ten years at least. Yuuri will take it after him and, assuming nothing tragic happens, Otabek will be an old man by the time his niece or nephew sees the thone. He’s one the bastards anyway, a child born of an Omega not the Queen. He’s so far down the line, it’s practically a speck in the very far distance. Chikara has more of a chance of getting it simply by being the Queen’s third born.

It’s an easy life if not a boring one.

Sometimes he wishes for something to happen…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the dump of names!!! I know it's alot, but Bek's has *alot* of family all over the palace. Please let me know if you're confused and I'll clear up what I can. :D


	2. Chapter 2

It’s chilly for this time of year. Otabek actually needs a heavy cloak once he’s out of his ceremonial robes. He idly wonders if it’ll snow early this year. Usually it’s another few months away, but the chill’s a little much for what it _should_ be.

His bodyguards are waiting for him outside his door. Both are taller than him… by alot. It’s fine though. He really _doesn’t_ mind being shadowed by giant jackasses who don’t know when to shut up.

_It’s fine…_

“Going out?” the thinner of the two, Tetsuro, asks as though he _doesn’t_ already know.

“For abit,” he replies as he walks away, knowing they’ll follow, “Need to go to the market.”

“Need to? Or just an excuse to leave?” Tetsuro grins.

“Shut up,” The older one, Sebastian, snarks around his smoke, “Him leaving lets us out for awhile. Don’t question it.”

They’re a funny pair, half brothers. Sebastian was born in their father’s country, Cvaitra, and brought over when he was like four. Tetsuro was born two years later after their father found his soulmate here in Esta... _supposedly._ They were fine, great at their job when they _actually_ did it. 

It’s a quick ride into the city proper and they stash the horses at one of the liveries before heading to the market. Finding something for Takeda is… hard. The Omega Prince does very little for himself, instead devoting everything he can to Keishin and the boys. It’s fine, Otabek assumes. He has no say in how Takeda spends his time. Still… he wants to find something that the Omega can’t use on somebody else.

He finds some various bath salts and oils in one shop. They’re all way too flowery for him and he assumes Keishin would feel the same way which makes them perfect for what he wants. There’s a lavender one in particular he makes sure to get in case Takeda has a bath during labor… which is apparently a thing? Tooru and Victor talk about it so he assumed so.

The shopkeeper wraps his items and Otabek placed the money on the bench, picking up the wrapped bundle. Both of them were careful to not so much as brush the other despite him wearing gloves. He sometimes wonders what it’d be like… to casually touch someone not family...

Nobody touches the royal family for a reason.

Soulmates, while a joy to find among the common people, is a hindrance to politics.

The matches his siblings have wouldn’t have happened if they’d found their soulmates… well other than Tooru and Hajime… and that had made more problems than it’d solved. For all the love they supposedly had, Hajime was miserable in the palace. A decision made in panic had left him far from home with a title he didn’t want and an enemy he’d never met in the form of an Alpha prince who’d been preparing for an engagement to Tooru.

Tooru of course, had been ecstatic. He’d allegedly clung to the Alpha, demanding to mate right away and forgo the wedding-but no his wedding has to be the grandest thing the Palace has ever seen! It wasn’t. Yuuri’s had been. Tooru’s came close though… _very_ close… and it’d almost not happened at all. Their father had seriously thought about having Hajime executed for touching Tooru.

Sometimes Otabek wondered if Hajime would’ve preferred that.

They leave the shop and head back towards the center of the market with the street vendors. It’s getting to be late afternoon by now and he’s getting hungry. He’s also tired for being around people who know him. Maybe he could slip away for a little bit…

He paused to count out two days’ salary and stuffed it into a separate bag before holding it out, “Here. Go have a drink for twenty minutes.”

“Can’t do that, Boss,” Tetsuro grinned, “If we-”

Sebastian shoved Tetsuro’s head, “If he wants five minutes, he can five minutes,” he grabs the bag and points a finger at Otabek, “You stay close. Shouting distance. Any further and I skin you.

Otabek cocked a brow, “Sure.”

“Good,” Sebastian walks off to the bar in the middle of the market, grabbing Tetsuro by the back of his cloak and dragging him.

Otabek breathes a sigh.

Freedom… even if for a few minutes.

He can grab something to eat and browse for a little, see if there’s something one of the artisans have that he couldn’t have made by someone in the palace. The smells as he walks down the main row are amazing. Most of it is Estian but some of it is foreign. If there’s something he can thank Victor for, it’s that his home country food is more readily available. He wouldn’t say he prefers it to Estian food as a whole, but there are definitely bits of it that he enjoys every opportunity he gets. One such is piroshki.

And there’s one particular vendor he favors over the rest in regards to piroshki.

He walks down the main row and takes a turn down one of the quieter streets where he finds said vendor in the middle of quarreling with someone else. It’s a small someone else, covered in filthy clothes too big for them. The hands he sees are caked in dirt. There’s an accent too, the way he says words is rough, angry… though that could just be his tone since he’s just arguing and snarling with the vendor.

“It’s. currency. I can take it to _any_ other place and they’d accept it!”

“Then take it elsewhere,” the vendor sees him, “Now if you’ll excuse me,” and shuffles the two feet toward him, “Your Grace how can I serve you?”

“You wouldn’t happen to have any of your piroshki left would you?”

There’s a low growl from next to him but he ignores it.

“Of course! It’s my last one until Komori comes back.”

Money is exchanged and the stuffed pastry is set in front of him on a plate. He takes one glove off because there’s just something about feeling the heat of the bun as he eats that makes it better. The menacing aura next to him is annoying.

“Can I help you?” and takes a bite before glancing over.

“That was _mine_ ,” the figure growls as he glares up at him… and he’s _sworn_ he’s seen those green eyes somewhere before.

“What the-”

Guards come skirting around the corner, “Hey you!”

There’s a hissed, “ _Fuck_ ,” then there’s a hand on his shirtsleeve and yanking him away from the oncoming guards. He follows, _stunned_ that somebody would touch him. They end up down a few blocks into an alleyway before the streetrat ducks behind some barrels and tries to yank Otabek down with him.

He pulls his hand away, “Get _**off**_ ,” and time just….

Stops.

The smaller palm is cool, chilly from the air, but it’s skin.

They’ve touched… and the world’s stopped… and he feels nauseous with the swirling joy as his Alpha howls in victory and the dread from knowing what means tumbling around his insides.

Green eyes stare up at him, wide, terrified, “ _No… it can’t be… not you._..”

But it is…

His soulmate…

This little rat is his soulmate.


	3. Chapter 3

_Shit.shit.shit._

How is this **possible**?

The first person he’s touched _ever_ who’s not family or a nanny who’s already found their own soulmates…

The first person he’s touched is his soulmate…

And it’s this little filthy rat who probably has lice and gods knew what else wrong with him. It’s impossible to tell anything under the mountain of oversized, grimy, threadbare clothing. Otabek’s not even sure what dynamic he is. Size doesn’t matter _obviously_. He’d be **inches** taller if it did. It wouldn’t be Alpha though and, in all likeliness, it was an Omega… but it could also be a Beta. He was leaning towards that simply because of the lack of a scent that _wasn’t_ month old sweaty dirt from a barn.

The _thunking_ of heavy boots rushed down the street they were just on and his _Alpha_ forces him down to hide beside the figure. Green glares at him, sharp shards of color in an otherwise very pale dirt-streaked face. He still swears he’s seen that color before, but he doesn’t remember them looking _this_ angry.

It’s only after the guards leave that he realizes they're still touching and there’s this pleasant hum under his skin. There’s comfort in it but it also scares him. It’s intense… a thrumming heat in his insides that’s gentle yet all consuming. He’s never felt this strongly about another person… ever.

Not even his own mother.

Up this close he can make out how thin the other’s face is. His cheeks are hollow, cheekbones jutting from his face adding more sharp angles to what he could only assume was already a sharply featured face. He might even be pretty under all the dirt. It’s clear he’s starving though and Otabek _miraculously_ still has his piroshki.

“Here,” he offers it and the other male stares it, hungry but then glares up at him.

“I don’t want your charity.”

“It’s not charity,” he replies a little harsher than was probably necessary, “Just... take it.”

Lips thin, the top one almost disappearing, and the pastry’s snatched from him. It’s wolfed down faster than he thought possible. When it’s gone, the figure sighs as though he regrets something… maybe eating it too fast or that there’s not more of it.

Otabek licks his dry lips, “What’s your name?”

“You _really_ I’d tell you that?” he scoffed, “You’re a fucking Prince. I’m not going to-”

“Why would I want to hurt you?”

“Just-” hands gestured wildly, “Because ok? _Because_ that’s all **any** of you want to do to people like _me_. Now leave me alone.”

That felt very unfair.

“I don’t… I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Well you’ll be the first one,” he spit, “and just because you don’t, doesn’t mean somebody else won’t. You’re not the only royal _are_ you.”

The Alpha sighs, agreeing with that much, “I’m Otabek, the fifth Alpha Prince. I’m one of the bastards though so it doesn’t matter as much.” He doesn’t know if it’ll help. He just knows he can’t just _leave_ this pathetic creature here either. “I’m twenty-one summers… will be twenty-two in a few weeks… I prefer the battlefield and battle strategy to politics. One of my favorite things to eat is piroshki even though it’s not a native food.”

The lines in the other’s face soften a little though he still looks very suspicious, “I’m Yu-Riyu… I'm... Riyu, a nobody… I’m just trying to stay alive...” he shivered a little.

His hands moved before he’d even thought about it, sliding his cloak off of his shoulders and holding it out, “Here. Take this.”

The nose wrinkles, “I can’t take that. You nuts? I’d get knifed for it or arrested and tossed in a cell for stealing it. I’m fine. Just… leave me alone.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“And why not!”

“Because you’re my soulmate,” it’s a cop out but it’s all he has. He doesn’t _know_ Riyu… wouldn’t have wanted to before five minutes ago… He’s still not sure if he even **wants** to or if it’s just the whole soulmate thing prompting him to do so.

Riyu seems to have the same suspicion, “That doesn’t matter. People like you don’t have soulmates anyway. You get traded around for power regardless of what you want. It’s honestly cruel to want to do this when you _know_ nothing will come of it. We’re cursed now. We’ll spend the rest of our days pining for each other, knowing no one else with ever satisfy us because that’s what the _fucking_ universe wants. We’re both fucked… and it’s better if we never see each other again.”

Otabek… doesn’t know what to say. Riyu is right though, to a chilling degree. He’s honestly surprised that his father hasn’t made a match for him yet. Still… he doesn’t want to just _leave_ Riyu here either so he takes out his coin purse and starts counting, “Here’s some money. Get yourself a room and proper meal-”

A grimy hand covers his, harsh voice hissing, “ _Put that away! You wanna get stabbed?_ ”

“I’m just trying to help-”

“Well stop trying. I was doing fine until you showed up. The only problems are the fucking guards.”

_That might be something he could help with..._

“If they catch you, just tell them my name. Tell them to consult ‘Otabek’ and-”

He snorted, “You _really_ think they’d listen to me? I’m nothing, a cockroach. Telling them I know you does nothi-”

Otabek unpins the family crest from the cloak, “Show them this then,” and presses it into the Omega’s palm, “Show them this and give them my name. If they don’t, it’s lashes and the stock for them… _please_ …”

Riyu takes it and stares at it, “This will get me out of jail?”

“As long as you haven’t done something like murder somebody,” he replies dryly. 

Riyu takes a moment to consider, “...Ok…”

“Will you let me buy you a cloak? It’s going to be cold tonight.”

“Nothing too nice… I don’t wanna die over something so stupid. I’ve got shit to do.”

Otabek ponders that a little as he walks away and finds a couple of vendors. The first one has food which he buys a small assortment of items he hopes will last the next few days. The second has the cloaks… not the best ones but decent and they’re warm. He buys one and takes it back down that alleyway. It pains him to drop it in the dirt and stomp on it but he does, grinding the ball of his foot into it and trying to get the dirt deep into it. When he thinks he’s done enough, he picks it up to inspect it. The edge is too nice still so he takes his knife and hacks at the hem along the bottom until it’s nice and ragged. He tucks it close in hopes of giving it some of his body heat… and maybe his scent to keep the others away.

Riyu is right where he left him, looking twitchy, anxious to leave. Otabek drapes the cloak over him and fastens it. Riyu tucks it around himself, bringing it up to his nose and inhaling.

“Here,” he hands Riyu one of the warmer food items. It’s snatched away and devoured. Riyu looks up at him, actually looking _hungry_ now. He pulls another one, “Last one. I don’t know when you ate last and you don’t want to get sick ok?”

Green eyes roll but he does take noticeably slower bites.

He sighs, “If you’re _sure_ you don’t want more of my help, I should go.”

Riyu nods, “It’s better this way.”

“Ok… here,” he places the satchel with the rest of the food at Riyu’s feet, “Try and make this last a few days ok? I’ll try to come out again soon.”

“What did I say about seeing each other?”

“And you expect me to just leave you alone down here?” Otabek’s brows creased, “That goes against _every_ instinct I have. It’s bad enough I’ll be leaving you… Don’t… don't ask me to abandon you.”

The green eyes get glassy, “It’s just going to hurt more later.

“You let me figure that out,” he reaches out, touches the chilly fingers and gives them a gentle squeeze, “I’ll be back.”

It’s the hardest thing to pull away and leave Riyu behind. Filthy as he is, there’s no denying what he is to Otabek now. There **has** to be a way…

He has to figure this out.

The danger sense goes off a second too late. He’s shoved against the wall and knife’s at his throat. It’s the dull side though and Sebastian’s half sneering down at him.

“What did I say? _Within shouting distance_ … Does this look like shouting distance to you?”

“This also doesn’t look like you skinning me so I guess we both lied,” Otabek replied.

Sebastian makes a face and lets him go, “Fair enough.”

“You done fucking around?” Tetsuro asked from further down, closer to the market, “The guards around here are all twitchy. If they see you two like that, They'll kill 'Bastian on sight.”

Fuck.

 _Riyu_... 

_Go back! Go back! **Go back!**_

“Yea… Let’s go.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the *very* late update. I had a medical emergency Wed night/Thurs morning that left me in the hospital for a couple of days and a blood transfusion. 😒 I'm recouping fine. I've just lost *alot* of time on literally everything so I've been trying to catch up since I've been banished to the couch till at least this weekend. Updates *might* be a little spaced out so I can catch up on the stuff I need to have done by Christmas. 😖 But anyways, ONWARD TO NEW CHAPTER!! WHOOT WHOOT!

He doesn’t know what he’s looking at.

It has to be dreamland simply from how bizarre it is.

That and the bright red string that wrapped all around his wrist and heads off into the distance.

Snow falls.

He catches a few flakes… flowy, lacy white…

Bright jewel tone green centers glittered up at him.

Something brushed his leg and he looked down to find a black cat blinking up at him, its eyes that same brilliant green color. Its fur was longer, silky. It shone almost _pink_.

‘ _Mrow_ ’

And it walked off.

Otabek followed, feeling the string tighten as he went, watched it wrap around his arm as he got closer to whatever was on the other end of the string. The string is all around him by the time the cat stops then bolts into nothing and suddenly there’s a figure standing there, the other end of the red string wrapped around a wrist. It’s covered in shimmery white mesh. Fireflies surround its head like a crown. The figure turns, face looking over its shoulder and he’s swallowed up by vibrant green-

It’s a sudden awakening… not exactly violent but enough to jolt him mostly awake. He blinks a few times, noting the early morning hour and presses the heels of his hands to his eyes. They flash and swirl black with the pressure.

It’s the third morning he’s woken up like this.

The third morning since meeting Riyu…

His… soulmate…

It’s still an odd concept to wrap his head around… having his soulmate… _knowing_ who he is.

Knowing it really will end up in nothing but heartache when his father matches him with someone else because there’s no way he’d allow a streetrat into the palace, let alone allow him to marry a Prince.

Hajime had a title, land, power of his own before Tooru… even if it was small and really only within his father’s Providence.

Riyu had nothing.

Riyu _**was**_ nothing in the eyes of the Emperor.

If they were found out, the kindest fate Riyu would have would be to live out the rest of his life in prison. Alive to keep Otabek saner than he would be otherwise, but forever separated. The other option was death… He’d be executed for touching Otabek as was law and Otabek would be left to mourn him for the rest of his miserable life, the hole in his soul slowly eating away at him until he gave in and died of a broken heart or killed himself. Nobody would care by then. He’d likely be long labeled as insane. The spouse he’d be married off to wouldn’t care… They’d know he was irreparably damaged from the get go. All they’d want was a pup or two pumped into them and then they’d leave him to his grief.

_He had to make sure his father **never** found out about Riyu._

He finally forced himself up and out of bed. Sleep was gone for the night if the last couple of morning where anything to go by. He just had to focus and get through his day… and try to find any flimsy reason to leave the palace for the second time in a week.

Hell he’d run a fucking errand to get out.

The food he’d bought wouldn’t last much longer if it wasn’t already all gone by now.

The sun was coming up, blowing the sky up in brilliant warm colors. He opened the door to his balcony, hovering a little in the chilly air. Maybe he deserved it though… to stand out in the cold for abit while Riyu had _slept_ out in it. He needed to get him somewhere safe.

Maybe his dreams would stop being so weird once his Omega didn't have to worry about being stabbed in the middle of the night.

He needed to get to him.

He had to get out-

The ringing of a bell made him jump.

And then curse.

Takeda was in labor…

Nobody would be allowed to enter or leave the palace until the new prince was born.

He didn’t have time for this.

It could be a day or two before the little fucker showed up.

Riyu might not have a day or two.


	5. Chapter 5

This was bullshit.

Of all the stupid-ass things to have happen.

Yuri’s had to touch _how_ many people in the last few years and **this** is the punk-ass fate’s saddled him with?

The irony would be hysterical if it wasn’t so painful.

He never should have come here, never stepped foot in this city…

Except that he’d had to.

He’d come this far.

He wasn’t about to leave without him.

Vetios needed its Prince.

Yuri didn’t want it.

It’d never been his anyway.

He heaved a sigh and snuggled into the cloak he’d been given and the other body he’d draped it around. Kenma shivered violently, fingers clinging weakly to his shirt. Between sickness and heat, the Omega didn’t have much strength left. The concoction Yuri had bartered from some healer hadn’t done what she’d claimed it would, what he knew it should do, and they didn’t have enough to try again. The only thing of value he had was that damned pin and he was pretty sure trying to sell it would get him arrested.

Dammit if he wasn’t a few days from trying anyway.

Kenma shivered again, whining into Yuri’s shirt as another wave hit him. He wanted to help better than he was, but they weren’t in a spot where he could. The smell of animals only covered so much. If Kenma was stimulated, the smell and noise would attract Alphas.

He picked off abit off of the last riceball they had and gently stuffed it into Kenma’s mouth. The other Omega tried to fight him for about two seconds before his energy gave out with the wave ending sooner than expected and he let it happen, slowly chewing the dozen or so grains. Yuri kissed the blond head and held him tight, forcing away a few tears. He couldn’t lose someone else.

Not Kenma.

He couldn’t lose Kenma.

He just had to last another day or two. That Alpha Prince promised he’d come back. Yuri would know he was serious if he did. He could ask for help then.

They just had to hang on.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

“If you don’t plunk your ass down, I'll sit on you,” Sebastian snarked, “You’re driving me up the wall. What’s got you antsy?”

He was a day late.

He was a day late and Riyu would most definitely be out of food by now.

There was an itch under his skin and he felt pulled, something calling him elsewhere.

But he couldn’t…

Because Takeda’s baby was taking his sweet time showing up.

It’d been hours already and nothing.

“I’m just… restless…”

“ _Clearly_.”

“I might be up for sparring again,” Tetsuro said from his spot on the floor.

Otabek didn’t want to spar again.

He **wanted** to leave the palace and find Riyu.

But he couldn’t.

“Fine.”

“Your ass,” Sebastian said by way of dismissing them.

Otabek tossed him a look and followed Tetsuro back outside, “If your brother wasn’t so good in a fight, he’d have been tossed years ago.”

“He knows,” Tetsuro sighed, hands linked behind his head, “He knows he gets away with the shit he does because he’s good.”

“I’m surprised Father didn’t offer him Yuuri or something.”

“He doesn’t have the patience for the ceremony attached to that,” Tetsuro yawned, “Can’t say I would either. I like my easy job,” he grinned at Otabek who merely cocked a brow at him.

They spar for awhile and he gets physically tired but the humming under his skin won’t leave him alone. Tetsuro begs mercy and Otabek lets him go for awhile. He lays in the grass, staring up at the afternoon sky, wanting nothing more than to try to climb the fucking walls to get to that alley again.

“I hear you’re being difficult today.”

He tilts his head back to see Hajime standing over him, a pair of practice swords in hand, “Oh?”

“It’s the second time today that you’ve come out here and beat the Kuroo boy into the dirt.”

“He’s my age… maybe older,” he couldn’t remember.

“Up.”

He rolls to his feet and catches the sword tossed at him. Hajime barely gives him time to ready himself before he’s fending off a flurry of attacks. They’re heavy blows, meant to down an opponent as quickly as possible, nothing like the pretty duels some the nobility likes to pretend do something. It’s more like Keishin’s style, intended to kill before you’re killed, a battlefront form.

One Otabek prefers honestly.

He’s sweating and exhausted by the time they’re holding each other at swordpoint however long later. Tactic agreement has them tossing their weapons down and dropping into the grass. The bells signifying a birth haven’t rung yet but he’s finally too tired to care for five minutes.

“Hajime…?”

“Nn?”

“What did you feel… when you touched Tooru for the first time…?”

Hajime paused long enough for Otabek to glance at him, something tender yet bitter flashing across his face, “Time… stopped... and ran… Felt like the world shifted to center around him. The missing piece was staring up at me,” a frown tugged at his face, “It would’ve been the happiest day of my life if it hadn’t been him.”

Otabek stared up at the clouds, “Does he feel the same way?”

“Of course not… nothing changed for him. He was saved from a potentially loveless marriage and has everything he’s ever wanted. The day he slipped off his horse and fell on me was the best day of his life.”

“And you?”

“I want to go home… but that’s not a secret.”

“If you could, go home, would you be able to love him?”

“I already do,” Hajime replied and then paused, “I suppose going home would... allow me to, I don’t know… _bask_ in it… It’s hard to describe to someone who doesn’t know…”

Except that Otabek sort of does.

He’s had five minutes with Riyu and, already, his priorities are different.

“The sudden interest?”

“I’ve been waiting for Father to make a match… wondering at the likelihood of them being my soulmate.”

A rare laugh, “Don’t count on it.”

“That unlikely?”

“You’d be more likely to find them in the market or the battlefield than you will any match that shows up for your hand.”

Doesn’t Otabek know that for sure…

The image of green eyes flashes in his mind, the dirt-streaked face glaring at him in suspicion. He couldn’t even tell what color hair the boy had. It was lighter than his own but it’d been difficult to figure out if the brown was natural or dirt.

“Don’t worry though,” Hajime went on, “You might just come to love them or at least tolerate them. Your siblings seem to be doing alright with their matches.”

“Yea…”


	6. Chapter 6

It’s almost a day and half from the initial bell toll before the second one sounds, telling the world of yet another prince born… and that the travel ban was lifted.

Otabek threw clothes appropriate for the public on and rushed as fast as he could without raising any eyebrows to the stable to get his horse. The stableboys rushed to saddle all three horses. Tetsuro kept teasing him about the hurry.

Sebastian was not amused in the slightest, apparently having been pulled from talking with one of the newer maids, “I was going to get laid, dammit!”

“I’m sure your charming personality will win you another shot,” Otabek deadpanned.

That earned an annoyed look and a ‘fuck you’ once they were out of hearing range. He led a much-too-slow charge for the city and dropped the horses off at the usual place. The market was busy, various people getting something to eat or settling up to close for the night. He made a beeline for that one stall where he bought a few piroshki and then remembered he was being tailed by the brothers.

 _Fuck_.

He had to find Riyu, but it was getting late and unsavory types were going to be bolder with less light. He might need the help and simply walked off toward the alley he’d left Riyu. His heart sank when there was no sign of him, but what had he expected really…? The Omega wouldn’t stay in that one place… but then where was he?

The Capital was huge.

It could take _days_ to find him… and he was already late.

“What’s up?” Tetsuro asked.

“You’re being weird,” Sebastian added.

Otabek ignored them all, wondering if the _slight_ tugging in his chest meant something or not… He decided to go for it because he had nothing else to go off of and he was getting a little anxious. It led him down a few more alleys, each one danker than the last.

“Otabek,” Sebastian had that tone, “I’m about to pull rank and escort you out of here.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” he replied, looking around.

Sebastian was very much not amused, “Wanna try me?” and Otabek didn't care. 

There.

It was a beacon… a silent scream for help.

He took off, ignoring both Alphas behind him as he raced down a few more allies and coming out closer to the Palace then they’d started. His eyes darted, searching for that cloak and the small figure under it. He walked, trying to follow the pull and almost ran into a pair who were struggling towards him. One hissed at him and then familiar green eyes popped out of a dirt-streaked face. The second figure stumbled, crumbled really, and fell right into Tetsuro who’d stopped short right behind Otabek.

“Whoa!” the Alpha caught him, “Hey? You ok?” he shifted, going a little stiff, “Hey.”

Riyu tried going for him but Otabek held him back.

Tetsuro bit a glove off and felt the other’s forehead-

And froze.

The body stiffened and Tetsuro maneuvered him around to stare at the face, cupping the face and tucking the head under his chin as he hoisted him up in his arms, “We need to get him warm and a doctor.”

“What?” Sebastian looked baffled, brows cocked, “He’s a beggar. A-”

“ _My mate_ , ‘Bastian,” Tetsuro breathed.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Riyu hissed.

There was no way…

Sebastian blinked, “I’m sorry _what_?”

“My soulmate, ‘Bastian. I found him-”

“There’s no fucking way,” Sebastian snorted, “Put him down-”

Tetsuro snarled, holding the figure tighter to him.

“Alright fine. Fuck,” Sebastian held his hands up, “So we get a room at Makki’s-”

“The palace.”

Riyu shrank into Otabek’s side.

Sebastian blinked, “We. Can’t. do that.

Tetsuro's eyes narrowed, “Why not.”

“Because he’s a beggar. Soulmate or not, they won’t let him in the palace.”

“They have no right to separate us,” Tetsuro replied.

“No. But they are within their rights to bar him from the palace… unless you’re, of course, _actually_ mated.”

“Then we’ll-”

“He won’t survive it,” Riyu piped up.

Tetsuro stared at him, eyes wide, “Why not?”

“He’s too sick. I don't know what he has, but it’s been at least six months since he’s started showing symptoms. It’s just gotten worse.”

“Have you tried medicine?”

“With _what_ money?” Riyu scoffed, “The last time we had anything of value, we were held at knifepoint!” he huffed, “We did try something a couple of days ago, but it must’ve been bad. It didn’t do a thing and it should’ve… even the little I could get should’ve done _something_.”

“This is stupid,” Tetsuro looked around, “We’ll get a couple of rooms at Makki’s then-”

“I’ll go,” Sebastian sighed, “Can’t have Otabek being seen going in there, so I’ll get the rooms and we’ll smuggle the rest in. You.”

Riyu jumped, “What?”

“Wash up a little bit. You’re coming with me.”

“Why-”

“Looks less suspicious for a royal bodyguard to be asking for a room in the _Capital_ if he’s got a piece of ass in tow.”

Otabek wanted to _**tear**_ into him for that… but that’d give them away.

Riyu hissed.

“Shut up and get to it,” Sebastian tossed a handkerchief, “Of all the stupid, _asinine_ …”

Riyu sets to wiping his face a little, but it’s so caked on that all he really does is move it around. The handkerchief is filthy and there’s not enough water to try and rinse it out to do more. Otabek offers his but it’s shoved back at him.

Sebastian’s getting very annoyed, “Gimme that,” he fairly rips the cloak, the same cloak Otabek had bought for _Riyu_ , off the sick one and shoves it at the Omega, “Put that on.”

“Why?”

“Makes you look less homeless. Now hurry up.”

“He’ll get cold,” Riyu argued.

“And he’ll get colder if we stand around arguing about it,” Sebastian replied in that highhanded way of his that let the attending populace know he was right and any disagreements were made by dumb people.

Unfortunately Otabek couldn’t remember where he _had_ been wrong.

He pulled his cloak off and draped it over the friend, glancing at Riyu who merely thinned his lips and threw the cloak he had on and then followed Sebastain out into the market. They waited a moment and then Tetsuro headed out. Otabek pulled his gloves off and followed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note of no importance: I've realized that I've been giving Kuroo a cutesy-ass nickname for the last few chapters and have elected to fix it. Will it come back? Who knows but it definitely won't be by Otabek unless there's a serious bonding moment that decides to write itself in at some point.

They didn’t have to wait long. Through whatever method used at the front, whether it was charming and flirty for a female or Omega or the sharp intimidation for an Alpha, Sebastian got a room and opened the window in short order. It was a room on the first floor at the back, as promised. The Omega was handed off through the window and Otabek hopped through the small opening before Tetsuro folded his long-limbed self through. Riyu was sitting on the bed, eyeing his friend who was being lowered next to him. There was a tub of hot water off to the side and a few threadbare towels by the lit fireplace. The blankets from the bed had been dumped in front of the flames, probably to heat them abit.

Riyu leaned over the Omega, “Kenma? Still there?”

The reply was pathetic, nothing really more than a dazed whimper followed by a body-wracking cough. Tetsuro rushed to pick him up so he wouldn’t choke. It didn’t last long, but Kenma? kind of breathed heavily, just shy of wheezing. Otabek didn’t need to be a healer to know it didn’t sound good.

“I’m going to go get a drink. You two wash up and get him to bed,” Sebastian left.

Riyu started pulling off layers, leaving the last one as he stripped Kenma with no care of the two Alphas in the room. Granted one was Kenma’s mate but Tetsuro didn’t know about Riyu and Otabek so maybe it was weird but Tetsuro didn’t say anything, instead just lifting Kenma up and slowly into the water as Riyu stripped fully and jumped in. It was too quick and Tetsuro was too much in the way for Otabek to even really glimpse it but the very idea that the Omega was nude in the same room almost made him blush like a damn newly presented Alpha.

“How long has he been sick?” Tetsuro asked, keeping his voice low as he helped Riyu wash Kenma.

“He’s been having symptoms for awhile… mid spring at least…” Riyu cupped water over Kenma’s head, gently scrubbing the dirt out of the blond hair, “I don’t know how long he’s been sick before that… It’d just gotten worse… When we can afford it, we buy medicine and it helps but never for very long… This last one though…” something in Riyu’s voice changed, “I don’t know if it was bad or if…” there was a pause and Riyu clutched Kenma to him, “-or if he’s too far gone…”

“He has to be bonded to get help from the palace,” Tetsuro said after a moment, “I can’t do much of anything until then.”

“He won’t survive it. He’s too weak.”

“He’s in heat. Now’s the perfect time.”

There was a whisper, someone’s name, but Otabek couldn’t hear it from where he was.

Riyu bent his head, body going tense after a moment, “No. Not for me.”

“ _Without you, ...life ...pointless_ ,” the voice was weak, almost delirious.

“No it’s not!” Riyu buried his face in wet hair, “You’re…”

Tetsuro leaned back, his Alpha scent spiking, “I’ll go see I can’t find something that’ll help… give him strength... maybe get a healer.”

“ _Alpha_ ,” Kenma’s hand drifted just a little.

Tetsuro took it, kissed it, “I’ll be back. Wait for me...?” and went to leave, pausing long enough to glance at him, “I…”

“Go do what you need to. I’ll be here to help if they need it.”

Tetsuro gave him a pained smile and left.

_“Yuri… please…”_

“No,” Riyu looked pissed, “You found **him**. Why do you want to throw it away? I-”

 _“Palace… we… can get-_ ” Kenma jerked, coughing again. Otabek jumped up and Riyu readjusted. Water sloshed over the side as Otabek grabbed Kenma and held him up enough so he wouldn’t choke. He could feel the Omega’s ribs and the thinness of the arms was… concerning… as was the weak grip on his wrist. Getting him out of the tub was an event. Kenma was taller than him by a little and so weak he could barely keep his feet under him. How he’d managed to walk anywhere was a mystery… one he’d have to ask about later. Riyu jumped out, sloshing more water on the floor, so he could dry Kenma off and help get him on the bed. Otabek grabbed the warmed blankets and draped them over the Omega. Once settled, Riyu went back to the tub and slid in. Otabek tried not to stare… but as the dirt washed off, it was hard not to.

Riyu… Riyu was pretty…

_Really pretty._

His skin was lighter than his, more like Victor’s or Wenli’s mate, Frederica, or even Sebastian’s… The features were sharp, possibly made sharper because of malnutrition but Otabek wasn’t sure. It was the hair though… Riyu dunked his head in the water, going under for a moment before coming back up. Dirt ran watery streaks down his skin, leaving spun gold instead of the dirty blond it’d been.

Otabek felt his insides still and jumble all at once.

“Hey.”

He blinked, “Hm?”

“Toss me those,” Riyu gestured to the pile of clothes. Otabek got up and passed him the shirts and pants. They were dropped carelessly in the grey water and Riyu set about scrubbing them against each other for a moment before wringing them all out and tossing them toward the fire. The water was a gross brown, almost black now and Riyu stood, grabbing the other clean towel. Otabek took a second to realize what he was seeing and turned. He took a shaky breath and leaned over the fireplace. The dripping on the floor echoed in his ears, his brain showing him the brief images he’d gotten of a naked Riyu. He bit the inside of his cheeks, listening to the blond shuffle around, drying off.

_“Ah fuck.”_

“What? What’s wrong?”

“In washing my clothes, I forgot that I have nothing else.”

“My cloak’s on the bed. You can use that? It’s clean at least.”

“You sure?”

“Of course,” he breathed, feeling flustered and annoyed at being flustered and-

The wet flop on the floor near his feet jolted him. He turned around as Riyu dropped another shirt, spread over the floor to dry better. Otabek picked up on ball of fabric and shook it out, laying it down and grabbed another. Kenma hadn’t made another sound and seemed to be sleeping. Riyu glanced at him often and then heaved a sigh. The cloak hung around him and Otabek tried not to think about the fact that that was the _only_ thing he was wearing. When done, Riyu plunked down in front of the fire and wrapped the cloak around him, shivering a little.

“Cold?”

“Abit.”

Otabek slowly knelt behind him, making plenty of noise so Riyu would know what he was doing, and wrapped himself around Riyu without really touching him, “Is this ok?”

“Mm,” Riyu pressed his back to Otabek’s chest and pulled his knees up, wrapping the cloak around himself, “Now it is.” he turned his head, their faces very close to each other. Otabek could see the shades of green, most of them lighter. They were sharp eyes, hard in the way Keishin’s or Hajime’s were. They’d seen things, done things in life that had changed them.

They were the eyes of a fighter.

“You smell good.”

Otabek snorted, turning his head abit and a nose tucked itself against his throat. He froze, feeling the soft warm exhales on his skin. All he could hope for was to not get hard with Riyu’s ass _right there_.

“It’s warm… like…” Riyu inhaled again, “I don’t know… but I like it.”

He turned his head back and Riyu cocked a brow, tilting his own. Otabek took the offer and slowly leaned just that little bit closer and sniffed. There, under the still faint scent of animal shit and just general filth that wouldn’t be washed off without soap, was the scent of… sun-warmed rain… and lemon? No… grapefruit? Something cirtusy…

Most definitely _Omega_.

He could easily get scent-drunk off of it... wondered what it'd smell like when Riyu was truly clean... “I was worried I wouldn’t find you again.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d come back at all,” Riyu replied.

“I told you I’d come back didn’t I?”

Riyu visibly fought something of a smile, “You’re late… but you did…”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy late Christmas to everybody who celebrates it!! Hope everybody, celebrating or not, had a fabulous day!!

Riyu’s nearly asleep, body relaxed against him, when Tetsuro shows back up with a tray of food. Sebastian’s right behind him with tankards and a jug of something. Riyu jerks up, feeling the clothes. Apparently a couple of pieces are dry enough because he puts them on before going to help with Kenma. The tray’s left on the table in the corner and Sebastian drops his load next to it, filling each one with whatever was in the jug and taking one.

“-one I talked to was on her way to help with a birth. She’ll be here when it’s all over,” Tetsuro pulled something from his pocket, “She said this should help… If not, she likely knows what he’s sick with.”

“Which is?” Riyu asked.

“She wouldn’t tell me.”

“Which means it’s bad,” Riyu replied, not sounding happy.

“He needs to get to the palace. We have the best healers in the country-”

“He can’t-!” Riyu hit the bedpost, “... He’s not strong enough. Something like that… I’m not even sure an orgasm wouldn't knock him unconscious at this point.”

Tetsuro grew visibly frustrated, “So I’m supposed to what? Just watch him die?”

“He’s not for sure dead, but trying to bond with him _would_ kill him…”

“You know it’s not just him that’s affected by this now right?” Tetsuro glared at Riyu and Otabek had to reel in his Alpha urge to shield _his_ Omega and snarl at the bodyguard.

“Better than you think,” Riyu glared right back, not looking one bit cowed by the Alpha towering nearly a foot over him, “ **And** , _in case you forgot_ , his death would affect me too. I’ve known him most of my life. He’s practically a brother to me.”

“Which leads me to the question of what exactly you **are** to each other. Why did it sound like he’s indebted to you?”

“He’s not.”

“Without you his life is pointless. His words, not mine. Sounds an _awful_ lot like a life debt or a life bond.”

“He takes it too seriously,” Riyu replied, “He’s more than whatever he thinks he is to me. He just refuses to listen.”

“So what is it he thinks he is to you? A servant?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Why are you refusing to-”

“ _Yuri_ …”

Riyu hops on the bed and leaned over Kenma… There’s a few whispers and then he sagged, “ _Please… don’t… not for me…”_

_“My… choice…”_

Riyu eventually peeled himself away and took the bottle of medicine, helping Kenma up a little and tilting the bottle. Kenma swallowed whatever was in there and Riyu hugged him tightly like it was the last time they’d see each other. Kenma was laid back down and stretched a hand over the sheets for Tetsuro who took it and sat on the bed next to him.

Sebastian looked unimpressed by the whole thing, “Well?”

Riyu… or maybe his name is Yuri? Otabek’s a little confused on that point at the moment… either way he looks miserable, “He wants to try it… He’s going to let what’s-his-face bite him.”

Sebastian sighs, looking done and disappointed and annoyed, “This is just fucking fantastic.”

“You could be happier for me!” Tetsuro snarked.

“Happy that you found your soulmate in a fucking invalid who might not even make it through the bonding, leaving you to the fate of a raving lunatic? You must be joking. I’m fucking estatic,” he deadpanned.

“Hey fuck you.”

“Gimme three minutes and I’ll find somebody who will.”

“Good. I need you outta here anyway.”

“Your bony ass is nothing new to me. I’ve gotta stick around to watch him,” he jerked his chin at Otabek.

He cocked a brow, “I’m sure I’ll be fine for half an hour,” he glanced at Tetsuro, “We’ll wait right out the window so if something happens we’re close by to help.”

Tetsuro nods, “I’m not sure there’s much you could do.”

“Run for a healer at the very least.”

“Yea.”

The scent of heat has gotten a little stronger which means the medicine’s probably working even if a little bit. Kenma whines a little and Otabek’s… well he feels like he’s flushed head to toe and hopes nobody’s noticed. Sebastian gives a sharp snort, like he’s trying to get the smell out of his nose and heads for the door. Riyu glances at the bed and quickly puts on more layers. They drape the cloaks over themselves and climb out the window. It’s shut and Riyu slowly sinks to the dirt and grass below. Otabek slowly drops next to him. Sort of watching Riyu pick at rocks and halfheartedly toss them at the brick wall a few yards away.

“What does Kenma think he is to you?” Otabek asked.

“What do you mean.”

“He seems to think he owes you something… almost sounds like a bodyguard or something…”

“What’s it matter.”

He bites his lip, “It doesn’t. Not really I suppose… except that he’s tied to Tetsuro now so… unless you’re going to leave him behind, we need to figure something out.”

There was a pause… “It started out sort of like that… but we’ve… we’ve been through alot together… We’re… I’m closer to him than I was my brother… closer to him than probably anyone in my life.”

That stung a little, “Even me…?”

Riyu leaned his head against the building and glanced at him for a moment before looking back at the wall in front of them, “You and I both know nothing will ever come of us. You’re you and I’m me… There’s too much in the way. Even if I claimed to be a prince, they wouldn’t allow it.”

“They might… It’d create ties with another nation, ones that could be useful-”

Riyu snorted, “They don’t want me.”

Something sank like a rock in Otabek’s chest. He’d hoped, foolishly, that he could work something out. There _had_ to be a way. They’d pine away to insanity otherwise.

“What’s your name?”

There's a pause followed by a resigned tone, “I told you… It’s Riyu.”

“Kenma calls you ‘Yuri’. I thought it was a slip the first time, but he said it again… Is it a nickname? Or something else.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Otabek frowned at Riyu, “I’m trying to help you and you’re fighting me.”

Riyu side-eyed him, “Forgive me if I don’t trust you completely,” the tone was cutting, biting into him, “We’ve been soulmates for less than a week. We don’t know each other.”

“I’m trying to.”

“Then tell me about you.”

“I have.”

“Tell me more,” Riyu snipped, “After all it won’t be _your_ head rolling if we’re found and I want to make sure it’s worth it.”

Otabek sighed, “There’s twelve of us in total. I’m the fifth Alpha Prince but the eighth born. Half my older siblings are married with kids. Mari’s out in the West, commanding the troops… She’ll probably die out there honestly.”

“Reckless?”

“Hates bureaucracy enough to fall on her sword if she ever had to sit in on court meetings like the rest of us… so she stays out on the battlefield.”

“Mm.”

“Most of us are like that actually… There’s only a couple who actually like that shit… Not even Yuuri likes it.”

“How’d you know?”

Otabek blinks, brows furrowed, “Huh?”

“Nevermind,” Riyu flushes bright pink to the tips of his ears... and it’s cute.

“Yuuri’s the Crown Prince.”

“Yea… I knew that…”

Otabek eyed him a little, a flicker of suspicion planting itself. He’d wait though… If it was important, Riyu was probably cagey about who knew about it.

“Where-where are the mates from? Are they all Estian?”

“Three are… One’s Cvaitrian and the other’s from Vetios.”

There’s a sharp sniff, “Really…? That’s… interesting… given the history.”

“I guess,” Otabek replied, covertly staring at Riyu, “I think he was more of a peace offering.”

Fists clenched, “Sounds about right.”

Otabek wasn’t sure what to say after that and just let the silence go.


	9. Chapter 9

It doesn’t take as long as Otabek assumed it would for the window to open again. There’s no screaming or sense of urgency so he assumes it went ok. Riyu hoists himself inside first and Otabek follows him. Tetsuro’s put pants back on and is nibbling at some of the food while a bowl of broth is cooling off to the side. Riyu heads straight for Kenma, crawling into bed with him and hunkering down under the covers.

Tetsuro looks tired and keeps one of his shoulders raised just a little as though in some pain. The fresh bite mark at the junction of his neck and shoulder looks sore, red and only just clotting. “Find out anything?” he murmurs when Otabek gets close enough. 

Otabek looks over the options and picks at some of the rice dish, “Some… not much useful though. He’s keeping tightlipped about it.”

“Think they’re assassins?”

Otabek cocked a brow, “A little late to be wondering that, don’t you think?”

Tetsuro’s face stiffened in the firelight, “He’s in so much pain… Whatever he’s got, he’s had it for a long time.”

Otabek swallowed, “You _feel_ that? Or did he tell you?”

Tetsuro shook his head, “He could barely moan. Seems most of his strength is saved to talk to Yuri… I…” he looks downright ashamed of himself, “I had to say some awful things to him just so he’d bite me.”

“Why…?”

“Because he didn’t have the strength to. He tried and he couldn’t get enough of a hold on it to properly clamp down. I had to get him enraged enough to want to hurt me before he bit down hard enough for it to take.”

Otabek glanced at the pair, “Hopefully he doesn’t hold that against you.”

“He passed out right after so I couldn’t even apologize to him… make sure he knew I didn’t mean a word of it,” he snorted a little, “That spark though… that was something else.” he almost sounded fond, _smitten_.

Sebastian showed up abit later just to tell them that he was in the next room with one of the girls who’d finished working for the night, “Bang on the door only if it’s a matter of life and death and **only** if it’s Otabek. I don’t want to hear a peep out of you otherwise. And you,” he pointed at Riyu who’d poked his head from under the blankets, “Keep your hands of the Prince. Don’t think I didn’t see you cuddling by the fire earlier. I catch you again, you’re dead.”

Riyu didn’t look impressed, “Go fuck your whore and stop worrying about a grown ass-”

Sebastian crossed the room and leaned over Riyu, “I could have you arrested. **Don’t** test-”

The growl was unintentional, purely instinctual.

Sebastian paused and glanced over his shoulder at Otabek who simply glared at him, not letting himself feel anything but just short of enraged at the bodyguard, “What.”

“Get away from him and go,” he narrowed his eyes when Sebastian stayed put, “ **Now**."

Sebastian gave him _a look_ , “Be _careful_ , your Highness,” and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Nobody said a word for a long moment. Otabek felt vaguely mortified that he’d let himself slip like that. He hadn’t meant to… not really. Sebastian was only doing his job, maybe being little extra about it, but it wasn’t really anything anybody, least of all Otabek, should have been upset about.

Yet he’d growled at him… _snarled_ really.

Something about how Sebastian had loomed over Riyu had set his _Alpha_ off and he hadn't been able to rein it back in time. He just hoped nobody thought _too_ much about it. Tetsuro didn’t seem to though Riyu… Riyu stared at him with this unfathomable expression…

Otabek busied himself with putting some food in a bowl, grabbed one of the tankards, and went to sit by the fireplace. He ate the pork and rice and nibbled on the little flakey pastries. The drink wasn’t great, similar to the stuff he’d tasted the few times he’d gone out for skirmishes and such.

There’s alot of shuffling behind him and some soft slurping. Kenma makes a few sounds that make it seem like he’s barely conscious and they’re just trying to get the broth down his throat before he passes out again. More rustling and then a little clattering at the table. Riyu joins by the fire, plunking down. Their knees are a hair's breadth from touching but it feels so much more distant than that.

_“Thank you.”_

He blinks, “For what?”

“That… You didn’t need to but…”

Otabek glances at the Omega and then behind them. Tetsuro’s giving them fuck all attention, wrapped up in the bed again with Kenma. He turns back to the fire and glanced at Riyu again, “I…”

“I haven’t had someone _really_ stick up for me in a long time…”

He’s not sure what he should do.

So he does nothing.

Riyu finishes his food and sets the bowl aside. Otabek gets up and refills their drinks. They sit there in companionable silence for awhile as they finish off the second round. It’s agreed that the wall by the fire’s probably the best place to try and sleep so he goes and sits against the wall, in the corner, and opens his arms. Riyu settles between his legs, turning to his side is pressed to Otabek’s chest. Otabek reaches for the cloak, draping it over the Omega and then makes sure his own covers the cracks, keeping all the heat inside. He manages to slip his hands under the layers and around Riyu. The touch soothes something in them both when his bare hands slip just under the hem of Riyu’s shirt and rest on the skin of the Omega’s waist and side. Riyu relaxed against him, drifting off pretty quickly after they’ve settled in. Otabek rests his head against the wall behind him and stares into the room, his eyes slowly closing…


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2021 everybody!! Hope this year is better for everybody :D

“So… what’s the plan?” Tetsuro asked over breakfast, “How are we getting Kenma in?”

“I doubt they’ll just let them waltz through the gate as they are,” Sebastian said.

“We’ve passed for brothers before,” Riyu said, “Shouldn’t be too hard to convince them… We stick out too much though.”

“If we switch your clothes with something newer, it’ll help,” Otabek replied.

“We could dye their hair,” Sebastian sounded done, “Getting rid of the blond will make them less noticeable. The guards may not even bother with them.”

“How do we do that?” Otabek asked, “Is that something we can just get and do it ourselves?”

“Coffee could do it…” Riyu said, “also walnuts in boiling water.”

“We can find either of those in the market,” Sebastian shoved the window up, “That’s all we need? Coffee or walnuts?”

“The walnuts have to be dark or they won’t work,” Riyu replied, “And get a shitton of them. I haven’t done this in awhile and can’t remember how much we needed the first time.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes and folded himself out the window. Otabek followed, making sure to have his hood up. They headed for the market, weaving through the patrons. Sebastian ended up doing most of the shopping, keeping Otabek behind him and out of the spotlight as it were. They ended up with a good bit of both and Otabek dragged Sebastian to a couple of stalls for some clothes and another couple of cloaks. They tramped back, the weather turning nasty. He just hoped it blew over before they had to head back.

The purchases were chucked through the window and they climbed back in. Sebastian went and requested another bath set up. Riyu looked through the one bag with the coffee and walnuts, seemingly ok with the choices. They all hopped out the window, leaving Kenma in bed, while the staff girl fixed up the tub again. She seemed to be a little friendlier with Sebastian than was strictly necessary given the time needed to do it.

Or Otabek just didn’t want to hang out in the cold wind and light rain.

He wouldn’t put anything past Sebastian though.

The window eventually opened again and they all climbed back in. Riyu headed straight for the water pulling a bucket’s worth out and then a tankard. A good bunch of the beans were dumped on the big serving plate and smashed it all to hell, going so far as to drop one of the napkins on top and stepping on it with his shoe heel. Once satisfied, he dumped the grounds into the tankard and let them sit for awhile. He dumped it into a different tankard, catching the grounds in a torn off bit of bedding, and then poured the coffee water over his hair, getting most of it in a bucket. He kept at it, pouring it and scrubbing the grounds into his hair. Otabedk watched the blond disappear until all that was left was another dark head in the room.

“How’s it look?” Riyu looked at him.

“ _Eh_.”

The Omega’s face twitched, “That bad?”

_I hate it._

“It’s your eyes mostly… They stand out. We don't really have that color here.”

“If he keeps his head down, he’ll be fine,” Sebastian said from his perch on the window.

Riyu nodded and got a second batch ready. Kenma was laid on the floor, his head resting on Tetsuro’s thigh while Riyu washed the coffee water and ground into his hair and then rinsed it. They both got dressed in the new clothes, Kenma wearing both the old and new cloak to keep him warm.

They all headed out and to the stable where Otabek and Sebastian collected the horses. Kenma was situated up with Tetsuro and Riyu had to climb up behind Sebastian. He made a face at Otabek, clearly not thrilled, before making sure his hood was up though it didn't matter much on the ride up to the palace. The rain hadn’t stopped, just got worse so they were fairly soaked by the time they got there. Guards trying to verify the two former blonds, but all it took was the bitemarks and telling them that Riyu and Kenma were siblings and could they please get the sick Omega inside now. They were ushered through quickly and headed up to their rooms. As they climbed the stairs, he spotted the Emperor with Wenli and Yuuri.

“ _Shit_.”

“Fuck,” Sebastian hissed.

“Everyone go to Tetsuro’s… I’ll meet you there soon.”

They popped out into the walkway, Sebastian leading the way to their rooms while Otabek went the other way to distract his father.

The Emperor didn’t seem particularly pleased, “Where were you this morning…? You missed the council meeting.”

 _Shit_.

“I had business in the capital.”

“More important than the council...”

Oh yes the council meeting where nothing he said mattered and he’d just spend a good art of his day sitting around, listening to old men complain and argue over things that really had an easy solution.

Otabek fought the urge to grind his teeth, “Not necessarily… It simply ran longer than I’d planned and I couldn’t leave in the middle of it.”

“Hm,” his father continued to not look pleased, “Be sure to not miss the next one.”

That sounded _vaguely_ threatening.

The older Alpha went to pass him and paused, leaned in and sniffed him, “And take a bath before you’re seen. You smell like a barn.” He walked off, Yuuri throwing him an apologetic smile and trailed after him. Wenli didn’t seem inclined to follow.

Otabek heaved a sigh, running a hand through his hair, _“Fuck me._ ”

“To be fair, you probably should’ve been there today,” Wenli said, “An announcement was made though I’m not allowed to repeat it. It’s a bit secretive at the moment.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll know what it is soon enough.”

Otabek cocked a brow, “That doesn’t sound particularly promising.”

Wenli shrugged indifferently, “If nothing else, it’s a new beginning… possibly see things you wouldn’t have otherwise.”

“That… doesn’t help.”

“I’m sorry…”

“You could just tell me.”

There was something of a smile, “I need as much favor as I can get. Without it, I can't get anything done.”

Great…


	11. Chapter 11

He can’t believe it.

They’ve made it inside.

They’re inside the palace.

Kenma’s risk had paid off and they were walking into parts of the palace that were _closed off to regular people_.

It was almost too good to be true…

Yuri couldn't believe it. He’d thought it’d take so much more to even get in the gate and yet here they are, with nothing a bondbite and the lie that they’re siblings, inside the most protected place in all of Esta… maybe even the known world…

It almost made Kenma’s illness worth it.

 _Almost_ …

And then he saw a familiar head of silver hair…

Well it was longer now but there was no mistaking it for someone else.

“ _Vitya_ …”

And the blue eyes looked over at him… or rather glanced at him, saw him though there was no sense of recognition, before moving to the Alphas.

“Were you with Otabek?”

Gods… even his voice was the same.

“We were,” Sebastian replied.

“Yuuri said the Emperor was looking for him...?”

“Yes we saw them,” Sebastian bowed his head a little, “Thank you.”

“New friends of yours?” there was a gesture at them.

Kuroo held Kenma tighter, “My mate actually, Highness.”

Victor’s face froze a little, his expression shifting to something Yuri couldn’t read, before breaking out into the familiar heart-shaped smile Yuri had always wanted to punch off his face, “That’s… that’s wonderful.”

He didn’t want to punch it off anymore…

Kuroo bowed as far as he could without jostling Kenma, “Thank you, Highness.”

Victor turned back to him, “And you? Who are you?”

Yuri swallowed the stabbing in his chest, “His brother… _Highness_.”

Victor’s curiosity seemed sated, “Well welcome then,” and still no sign of recognition.

“Thank you, Highness,” Kuroo made to walk off. Yuri paused for a second, still staring at the silver head that wandered off. It looked so wrong to see him in Esian royal robes…

“Kid!” Moran barked, “Let’s go.”

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

Trying to unravel Wenli’s cryptic wording was annoying. No matter how he twisted them, he still had no idea what the older Alpha meant. All he got was that whatever was going to happen would happen soon.

Very helpful.

That could be anything from a typhoon to a promotion within the military to Prince Eita finally making a decision on which Alpha currently courting him would become the new Prince by marriage.

_Very helpful indeed._

He paused…

Did it have to do with his birthday?

It was only two or so weeks away so it could very well be…

That still didn’t give him much insight though.

He shook his head as he knocked on Tetsuro’s door.

Sebastian answered it and let him in, “Well?”

“Apparently today was the worst day to shirk my duties,” Otabek crossed his arms, “Something’s happening, but nobody’s saying what.”

“I’ll see if I can’t tease it out of one of the maids,” Sebastian replied with a smirk.

“If you can,” Otabek nodded, “Be careful though. Wenli was being cagey about it.”

“Keeping it under wraps then.”

“It seems so,” he finally settled on the gentle splashing in the other room, “Baths?”

“For the one anyway… Before the healer gets here.”

“I should take Riyu with me…”

“Why?”

Otabek didn’t know what the feeling was, “Just a hunch… The ways he’s been acting is...”

“Suspect,” Sebastian offered, “ _He’s suspicious_.” Otabek glanced at him. “We need to watch him. I don’t fancy losing my head because my brother got himself bonded to an assassin.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“He could kill you.”

“He wouldn’t bother… I’m too far down the line for my death to mean anything. He’d be better off getting to Yuuri or Wenli… or hell… Chikara would be his best bet if he was hoping to get the Father.”

“I hope you’re right,” Sebastian didn’t sound happy.

“Can you go get the maids to bring up water for a bath in my room?”

“Sure,” the taller Alpha left.

Otabek made his way toward the sounds, making sure to knock on the doorframe, “Riyu?’

“ _Hn_?”

“How soon can you leave?”

The former blond appeared, not looking particularly happy, “Why would I leave? Kenma-”

“Will be taken care of by the best healers and his mate,” Otabek risked touching him, laying his hand over an elbow, “You’ve done enough for him.” he leaned in closer though he was pretty sure Tetsuro was too preoccupied to eavesdrop, “Let take care of you now… ok? I’m having a bath brought up for you and you can sleep in my bed.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I can’t just-”

“We’ll talk ok?” he pinned Riyu with a look, “Do you feel comfortable enough to leave him…?”

Riyu glanced behind him, “Not really…” and looked back at him, “but he **is** bonded so… at least that Alpha will protect him… right? He wouldn't turn him over?”

What did that mean?

“I don’t see a reason why he would…?”

What **was** Riyu…?

Not that it mattered to Otabek.

Short of trying to toss his country to the dogs, he couldn’t think of any reason to hand Riyu to his father.

“Ok…just give me a minute…?”

Otabek nodded and watched him head back to the tub and talk to the pair for a moment before grabbing his few things and coming back. They made their way up the couple of floors to get the Otabek’s rooms and a waiting Sebastian. He gave them a nod and jerked his head inside to give them the go ahead. Otabek led the way and took his outer layers off. The gloves would have to stay on until the maids left…

And where to put Riyu… who might be somebody else entirely... 

Otabek had a thought... “Yuri…?”

“Hm?” Otabek gave him a look and Riyu... _Yuri_ paled… “Um…”

“Perhaps you should go stand on the balcony until the maids are done. They shouldn’t find you in here.”

“R-Right…” the Omega shuffled off toward the obvious doors, shoulders hunched a little.

Otabek narrowed his eyes a little, wondering what this meant.


	12. Chapter 12

The maids came and went with the buckets of water, pouring them into the tub in the washroom and laying out his soaps and such before bowing and leaving. Sebastian ducked in long enough to give him a nod and let him know he’d wait outside until dismissed. Only then did Otabek go let Yuri in from outside. The Omega’s nose was red and he shivered a little even with the clothes.

“I had a bath drawn,” Otabek said as he led Yuri to the other room.

“Oh… good… um thank you…” he started pulling his clothes off like he didn’t care that Otabek was standing _right there_ and sank into the water.

“Um…”

“What.”

“Eh…” he felt like shuffling his feet but shoved it down, “Would-um,” he could feel the blush and hoped Yuri didn’t see it, “There’s only the one bath and it won’t stay warm for overly long and-”

“You want to get in with me...?”

He blushed harder at the frank tone, “I mean-”

“Hurry up. You’re making it awkward.”

Otabek could feel his face burning as he started to take off the few layers he had left. He honestly hadn’t been nude in front of someone in years so this was… Well there were other things he’d rather be doing honestly, but the water was only hot for so long and a cold bath this time of year was a cold waiting to happen. Asking for a second bath would be suspicious too so it was this or nothing and he had to show up at dinner smelling _princely_ and not like a stable.

And well… Yuri wouldn’t be able to hurt him here either.

There was nothing the scrappy Omega could use against him without him being able to get to it first.

He stepped out of the last of his clothes and hurried over to get under the semi-sudsy water to hide. Yuri had grabbed soaps and a rag to scrub himself with. He’d given Otabek a single glance right as he stepped into the water. The pink in his cheeks showed up quick but that had to be just the hot water.

“This isn’t awkward for you?” Otabek asked as he settled in and started cupping water over his shoulders.

“Compared to what I’ve done before this? No… not in the least,” Yuri scrubbed himself, the water around him clouding a little, “I’ve done way worse… _had_ to do way worse,” he smirked, “At least the water’s warm.”

Otabek cocked a brow, making a little bit of a face, “I suppose.”

“You’ve never had to worry about your water, have you?” Yuri asked.

“I suppose not… I’ve been on the battlefield a few times and it’s not the best of circumstances out there but no, I suppose I never had to worry about water.”

“Lucky…” Yuri dunked his head and came back up to scrub soap through his hair.

“You don’t have to anymore either,” Otabek offered, “I’ll figure out a way to keep you here.”

Yuri snorted, “Don’t waste the effort,” and ducked again to rinse. He came back up, combing through the sopping coffee-dyed brown to get rid of the tangles. “I won’t be here long enough.”

Otabek paused his washing, “Why not? We’ve found each other… you know what happens if we don’t-”

“Doesn’t matter,” Yuri snipped as he curled up on himself, his voice going small, “It’s not going to work. They won’t let us and you wouldn’t want to anyway.”

“Why not?” Otabek asked but Yuri seemed to have shut down, “Are you going to talk to me…?”

Yuri stared back, defiant yet defencive, “Are you going to toss me out if I don’t.”

“...No… but not talking means you have something to hide… That means you’ll be confined to these rooms until I’ve decided you’re not a threat to my family.”

There was a derisive snort, “Yea _I’m_ the threat.”

“Yuri-”

“Stop calling me that.”

“It’s your name isn’t it? Your actual name.”

“I’d just… _I’d rather you not use it_ …”

Otabek narrowed his eyes, “Why. Are you on the run? _Wanted_?”

Yuri gave him a hard stare… and then heaved a sigh, “Yes… but no… It’s just better if nobody knows I exist.”

“Kenma uses your name.”

“Because he’s fucking delirious!” he gestured wildly, sending the water churning, “He’s been sick for months! He barely remembers anything anymore let alone which name to use…!”

Otabek wasn’t sure how much of that he believed. Kenma had seemed at least fairly lucid in the minutes he was awake. He’d been able to understand the Omega at least for what he’d heard… even if he didn’t necessarily understand _what_ he’d meant by it.

He gave Yuri an unhappy look, “Talk to me.”

“I can’t…”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t **know** you…”

“I don’t know you either, but _you’re_ the one in **my** home-”

Green eyes flashed, “Oh we’re going _there_ are we?”

“No, but you have to understand that my family is here and that if you’re not honest about yourself then-”

“Then what? I’m here, practically on my own now because Kenma’s got his mate. It’s _me_ and that’s **it** ,” Yuri’s pale face had gone a little red and not from the steam. Otabek pursed his lips. “I get that it’s your family, but it’s just me… I can’t do anything to them but they can do whatever they want to me if they find out that I’m here.”

“But you’re not alone.”

“I. **Am**.”

“Did you forget we’re mates?” he asked.

“We’ve been mates for less than a week,” Yuri made a face, “How do I know if you’d choose me over your fucking family if my interests aren’t in line with theirs?”

“What **are** your interests? I can’t say one way or the other if I don’t know them?”

“Like I’m going to tell you when you could just toss me out or send me to the cells!”

“Aside from trying to kill my family or topple the damn system, I wouldn’t abandon you… Even then maybe not… I’m not really keen on the idea of going batshit insane.”

“You’d just keep me locked up though right?” Yuri snipped.

“Better than dying isn’t it?”

The green flashed again, “What? Living in a cage? I might actually prefer to die.”

Otabek heaved a sigh, not sure where he’d gone wrong, “Yuri-” he held a hand when the Omega opened his mouth, “ _Riyu_ … Riyu,” he paused, slowly reaching for him after a moment. Yuri hesitated but didn’t bat his hand away, “Talk to me… please…”

“... I can’t…”

“I promise I won’t be mad… or toss you out or have you arrested or anything… I just need you to talk to me,” he gently squeezed the wrist he held, “Who knows,” he offered half a smile, “maybe I could help you.”

Yuri snorted, “You wouldn’t…”

Otabek dared to slide closer, slowly raising a hand to cup a cheek, “You don’t know that.”

“I do though… You’ll hate it. You’ll hate me. We don’t know each other enough and the whole soulmate thing only goes so far-”

“Maybe for you,” Otabek cut him off, “Maybe it is for you… I… I don’t know what I’d do… I’d never planned on finding you, my soulmate. I wasn’t _supposed_ to… So I don’t know what I’ll do. Let me find out? Give me a chance?”


	13. Chapter 13

_“Give me a chance.”_

“I can't… not yet… but…” Yuri bit his lip, looking a little pained, “Give me a few days? I’m trusting you with alot.”

It‘s not what he’d prefer but at least it was something, “Ok… but you’ll be either here or with Kenma. Understand? I want to trust you but… until I know what’s going on, I can’t… When I do then I can figure out if…”

“If I’m a threat of not.”

He felt himself frown, “Yea.”

Yuri nodded, “That’s… that’s fair I guess.”

“I’m sorry… I don’t want to cage you.”

Yuri forced a smile, “At least I’ll be warm and fed… right?”

He nodded, “Of course. Whatever you want.”

Yuri’s smile got a little more genuine, “Ok…”

Otabek leaned back a little, “Ask me something… Nothing necessarily personal but maybe something like…” fuck, “favorite… school subject…”

Yuri cocked a brow, “Why.”

“An attempt to get to know each other.”

“Ok fine… but there are rules.”

“Such as… You can’t ask about who my family are… you could ask what they’re like but… not who they are.”

“Ok.”

“Now what’s something I’m not allowed to ask about.”

“Politics… unless it’s common knowledge, I can’t say what goes on behind closed doors.”

“That’s fair… anything else you want to add?”

“I don’t think so… but we hold the option of not answering too.”

Yuri nodded, “Ok… Um… Did you like learning? Like in your lessons?”

Otabek shrugged, “Depends on the topic. Overall though no… I didn’t like being told what to learn when…”

“You too?” Yuri smiled a little, “I always did better when I learned on my own. Plants and animals were my favorite.”

Otabek ducked his head and scrubbed soap into it, “I learned three or so languages on my own.”

“Oh?” green sparkled, “That’s cool…! I only know two and a little bit of a couple of others. Which ones do you know?”

Otabek cracked an eyes open, giving Yuri a faint smirk, “My turn,” Yuri rolled his eyes, “How many countries have you been to?”

Yuri bit his lip. Otabek dunked his head again, swishing the soap out and came back up. He wondered if he’d crossed a line he hadn’t meant to.

“Most of the ones on the east side of the continent…” the dyed brunette finally replied, “a few in the west, but we never crossed the river.”

Well that narrowed down where Yuri was from though not exactly helpful since there were a few countries where people that looked like him were in the majority…

“Vetian, Rokaeth, Nandian… I know abit of Cvaitran because of my brother’s mate and Sebastian’s from there.”

“That’s impressive.”

“I guess… we all had to be good with language. It was just easier for me to pick it up than most for the others,” he distracted himself with soaping hismelf up, “Cats or dogs.”

“Cats. Far superior… and they don’t slobber or need as much attention… how about you?”

“Never thought about it much.”

“Then I’m claiming you for the cat people.”

Otabek snorted, feeling ridiculous as something warm bloomed and spread in his chest, “Are you?”

“Mhm,” Yuri nodded with all the seriousness he could, “It’s just better to accept fate at this point… and you’re on the right side anyway.”

Otabek snorted, “Fine then, but nothing fluffy,” He went to get out and flushed again, realizing that Yuri would see… _things_ …

“But the fluffy ones are the best,” Yuri got out without thought, grabbing a towel and started rubbing himself down without looking at him. Otabek flushed bright red and looked away, grabbing his own and drying off as quick as he could before making his getaway. He found clothes and threw them on before searching through his closet to find something too small for him.

He found a set and took them back, tossing them, “Clothes.”

“ _Thanks_!”

Otabek heads back out to his rooms, running his hands through damp hair. Everything's happening so fast… His soulmate’s here, in _his_ room. They just shared a fucking bath-! He hasn’t touched someone not his blood family in so long and to know it’s the Omega fate’s handed to him…

He sucks in a few lungfuls, trying to calm himself down. He feels like he’s been plunged back into being newly presented… like the smallest thing could make him lose it. Nothing can happen though… not until he’s figured it out… There has to be a way for them to be together… Tooru and Hajime could so way not him and Yuri?

The Omega reappears in his clothes and he feels like he’s about to have another mental breakdown. There’s no reason for Yuri to look good in his old clothes, let alone that good. He diesn’t even seem to notice, just goes to his pack and starts going through things, sorting his shit as though Otabek’s not having a crisis.

“I um… I have to go.”

And he leaves… like a coward.

He’s not sure where he wanders to in the couple of hours before dinner but he goes there in a fog. Nobody bothers him thankfully and he just drifts for awhile, trying to sort through everything going on in his head. He unintentionally joins Victor and Yuuri going to dinner. Alise jumps around a little, excited about something she’d learned earlier that day. He couldn’t figure out why her green eyes were so familiar but under a completely different context to what they had been before...

Dinner was… well dinner with the family.

Takeda and Keishin were not present on account of the new baby but Tatsuki and Asahi were there with Koushi. Daichi helped with them and it was all very domestic. Koushi seemed very happy with it.

Tooru alternated between talking with Victor and irritating Hajime. Their older pup, Yuutarou, was having one his attitudes about what food was for dinner while Riseki, the younger one, babbled and played with the soft mushy food, smearing it on things within reach.

Julian looked bored as the oldest of the grandchildren was prone to do. He was too young to be taken particularly seriously by the adults, despite Wenli’s attempts to keep him in the conversation, and too old for the rest of the pups, the next oldest, Tatsuki, being five. He was too much like his father, closer to a genius than not, too smart for his own good honestly.

Eita was grumbling again about which suitor’s proposal he should accept. He’s been ‘thinking’ about it for a month while accepting anything and everything both Alphas sent him. Otabek didn’t particularly care one way or the other. Both were bastard sons from competing kingdoms.

Ushijima Wakatoshi of Ziero-Taish was quiet, simple. He was good at commanding a room just by being in it, but didn’t have much of a strategic bone in his body. Of course there was the fact that he was Tooru’s former fiance… but the Emperor hadn't seen that as an issue. To be fair, Ushijima had seemed to treat Eita well enough.

Tendo Satori of Yamgii was abit odd, more of a wild card than anything. He wasn’t particularly strategic either as far as Otabek had been able to observe in the little bit of time they’d talked… but he was good at sussing individual people out. He’d be the bigger problem if something happened with Yuri.

“Who are you more likely to fuck?” Koushi asked after having to listen to his twin go on about it _yet_ _again_.

Thank fuck their father was eating with the Empress and concubines…

Daichi flushed and Jean choked on his drink. Frederica looked abit affronted as she tossed a look at Julian who looked like he _might_ know what was going on… but also possibly not. The younger two princesses, Kiyoko and Eri, didn’t look impressed.

“Koushi!” Yuuri looked scandalized, “That’s not language suitable for the table!” Victor had snorted a bit, not helping his mate at all. Yuuri gave the Omega a look

“Or not in front of the pups at least,” Chikara commented and then glanced at Eita, “though really. Make up your mind already. We’re all tired of hearing about it.”

“I’ve made how I feel about it quite clear,” Tooru replied, “I don’t want Ushiwaka here. He was _obsessed_ with me.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Hajime spoke up.

Tooru’s brows furrowed, “Haji-”

“If he so much as looks at you wrong, I’ll ride to his father’s court to toss Wakatoshi’s head at his feet myself.”

The irritated look melted from Tooru’s and was replaced with some besotted expression that was… well it was a little hard to look at, “Hajime…!”

The Alpha made a face, “Shut up.”

Tooru just looked so happy at the backhanded affection that he just smiled down at Riseki when the pup squirmed around then patted his dam's cheek, hand full of whatever mush he'd been eating, smearing it all over the Omega's face. 

Dinner continued on with little else interesting going on. Nobody mentioned the announcement or anything about it. The little bit of nudging Otabek gave Chikara about it was met with a brink wall and an apologetic smile.

“Father’d have my head. I don’t know why it’s so important to keep it from you… but it is… All I can tell you is that it’s soon.”

That helped not at all.

He eventually excused himself and went by the kitchens to pilfer some food for Yuri. There was a batch of piroshki for Victor though he snatched a couple of them along with a few other things and headed back to his rooms. Yuri, at least, looked happyish to see him… though that may have been because he brought food and Yuri tore into it with the gusto of a barbarian.

They stayed up a little, watching the faint changing of lights in the sky towards the south. Yuri stayed bundled up under his arm with a few of the blankets. He grumbled about how he’d spent too much time in warmer places… that he used to handle the cold better.

Bed was… well sleeping together seemed different when leaning against a wall as opposed to something like a bed. Yuri just climbed in, after making sure he was sleeping there, and settled down under the covers. Otabek slowly slid in after him, not sure what to do with his hands… Did he keep to himself or would Yuri be upset that they didn’t cuddle or what was the deal here…?

“Can… I ask you something…?”

“Mm?” Yuri rolled over to face him.

“How can I show you I mean what I said?”

Yuri curled up against him, “Don’t let me go…?”

He wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer even though there was nowhere else for the Omega to go, “I don’t plan to.” Yuri’s breathing had evened out soon after, leaving Otabek to his own thoughts.


	14. Chapter 14

Waking up the next few days to nosefulls of what was purely Yuri was what he imagined the afterlife to be like. The untouched scent of warm rain and citrus fruit was divine. He could breathe it in all day if he’d been allowed to. Yuri himself was something to stare at too in the early morning. His face softened in sleep, making him look impossibly young. He realized with a start that he didn’t even know that much… that he didn’t know how old the Omega was. Otabek himself would be twenty-two in just over a week and he had no idea how old his soulmate was. He couldn't be too young given the admitted-to life experiences but that wasn’t saying much. He was grown for sure but maybe only just… or maybe he was almost fully grown.

“I can feel you staring at me,” Yuri growled a little before smushing his face into the pillow.

He fought a smile, “Sorry,” and ran his fingers through the dyed brown. He didn’t like it, wished it was blond again.

“No you’re not.”

He wasn’t… and it was amusing that Yuri knew it too even after only a couple of days. Yuri turned his head to glare brearily at him. It was adorable honestly. They stayed like that as Yuri slowly woke up properly. He finally yawned and stretched, back arching in a way that made Otabek’s mouth go dry. Yuri’s legs brushing his didn’t help either. They eventually get up for the day and rinse off the best they can in the water left in the tub overnight. Of course he had to be extra careful about how well he washed himself so nobody would pick up on the fact that he was sleeping with someone.

That he’d _touched_ someone.

He was getting enough weird looks by having extra meals brought to his room.

Once done, he pulled the drain and lets it all rush out. Once dressed he leaves, Yuri staying behind until Sebastian or Tetsuro come to get him. His days don’t change much. He still trains and studies though he does pay more attention to the palace gossip in hopes of picking up on something ‘secret’ related. So far everybody’s keeping a tight lip and it’s annoying as hell.

The fifth afternoon keeps him in his room due to rain and just not wanting to be around people for awhile. Surprisingly, Yuri isn’t counted as ‘people’ apparently. The Omega had decided to give Kenma a day alone with Tetsuro since Otabek wasn’t going anywhere and so they were holed up together. They hadn’t done much all day though he had tried to teach Yuri one of the traditional games just to pass the time. Yuri wasn’t having it though so Otabek gave up and read instead, leaving Yuri to stare out of the large windows.

“I haven’t been home in a long time.”

Otabek glanced up before slowly putting his book away, “Oh…?”

“My family was betrayed… only my brother is left. I’m actually supposed to be dead. Kenma… I grew up with Kenma… We’re all we’ve had for… a long time.”

“I’m… I’m sorry…”

“I um… We’re here to try and get my brother back. I know he’s here… I just have to convince him to come back home with us.”

“I could help. Who is he?”

Yuri smirks a little, looking hesitant, “That’s part of what I can’t tell you… at least not yet.”

So it was possibly someone important… someone in the palace.

A foreigner if he was related to Yuri…

There were only a few that matched that… He didn’t want to think too hard about who at the moment.

“Why can’t you tell me?”

Yuri licks his lips, “Because it could cause an incident… a big one… I… I don’t want to make you choose if it comes down to it.”

“I will anyway,” Otabek replied, “You’re just asking me to do it blind.”

Yuri’s lips tightened into a thin line, “I don’t… if someone asks then…”

“Yuri…”

The Omega flinched a little before relaxing, “I don’t want you to know for the same reason I didn’t want to tell you anything in the first place… If they find out you know, you could be tried for treason.”

That serious huh…

Otabek stared at Yuri, “That… doesn’t thrill me,” Yuri seemed to shrink a little, “but I’m already here with you. We’re soulmates right?” Yuri slowly nodded, “That means we’re tied together whether we like it or not. We have to stay alive and together…”

“That means possibly going against your family.”

“I know…” he frowned, not thrilled with the prospect, “Why is it important to get your brother back to your country?”

Yuri didn’t look like he was going to answer that, “The government we have right now is a sham… Our people are dying and the king doesn’t care. He just wants the crown. _He’s a fake,_ ” Otabek was surprised at the venom in the Omega’s voice, how his face twisted into a snarl, “He’s bought and paid for in blood. I’ll wring his neck myself!”

“Yuri…”

“If it hadn’t been for him, our country would be fine! My family would be fine! I…” green flashed with despair, “I wouldn’t have had to do the things I’ve done…” he chokes on a dry sob, prompting Otabek to wrap him up tight against his chest. He can feel Yuri’s fingers clutching the back of his shirt, “ _I’ve done so many things… I’m ruined._..” he sniffed harshly, “You’d be better off finding someone else…”

Otabek pulling away just enough so he could cup Yuri’s red-streaked face, “Who would I want other than my soulmate?”

“I’m disgusting.”

“I don’t see how.”

“You don’t know what I’ve done,” Yuri blinked tears away, a couple of them falling, “for money or a place to sleep. I’m not worth anything anymo-”

His lips are soft, warm… _perfect_.


	15. Chapter 15

What is he _doing_?

He’s _kissing_ the son of his sworn enemy..

And he **likes** it!

It doesn’t matter that they’re soulmates.

Fate can go fuck herself for all Yuri cares.

He shouldn’t be enjoying locking lips with the spawn of the man who ruined his life.

Well… it wasn’t really _lip_ - _locking_ … That had more going on with it. Otabek just kind of punched his face with his lips and held it there… nothing else. No movement, no nothing.

It was like he didn’t know what else to do.

Like touching lips was all he had to do for this to work.

It was… _endearing_ … almost painfully so. He hadn’t kissed many people clearly… unlike himself. Yuri couldn’t even remember his first kiss anymore…

He pushed back a little and pulled away.

“I’m…” the Prince’s eyes drooped, blinked a moment and then snapped open, “I’m so sorry…! I… Um...”

Yuri smirked a little, “It’s fine. We are soulmates aren’t we?”

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

“Yea…” he was stupid… He was _so_ stupid… He’s trying to get Yuri to trust him and he does something like that… after hearing Yuri talk about how he’s done _things_ and it’s all just a mess-

“Hey,” Yuri sounds amused, “I’m not mad.”

“I just… After what you said, I didn’t want you to think that you’re not…”

Yuri leaned in, brushing his lips with his own again, “The confidence was kinda hot.”

Otabek flushed bright red. He hoped Yuri wouldn’t notice, but it would be almost impossible for him to not with how close their faces still were. His eyes were so green… and fiery… He cupped the Omega’s face, sort of but not quite aware of Yuri slowly straddling him, “I-”

“ _Otabek_!” Chikara knocked, well **pounded** on the door.

“ _Shit_ …!”

Yuri scrambled off and dashed for the closet.

Otabek straightened his clothes, smelling himself to make sure he wasn’t seeped in _Yuri_ … There was nothing he could really do about it though.

“What?”

_“Mari’s here!”_

Otabek’s brows creased, “Mari…?” he opened the door, “I thought she was on the front, not due home for months.”

Chikara’s face was bright with excitement, “I know! I really should’ve guessed that she’d be here but I didn’t put clues together but she’s here either way! Come on!” Chikara tugged on his hand like a child. Otabek glanced back at his room.  
“Is something wrong?”

Shit-

“Um… I should... grab _a cloak_.”

“Oh... sure.”

Otabek ducked back inside and headed for the closet, “Hey.”

Yuri eyed his a little, “What was that?”

“My sister’s come home, so I’ll be out for a bit.,” he grabbed a cloak off the shelf, “Will you be alright?”

Yuri nodded, “Of course.”

“Ok,” he paused, hesitating… and then pecked the dyed-brunette on the forehead, “I’ll be back.” He rushed out, slinging it over his shoulders and shut his door, making sure to lock it behind him to keep nosy staff out. Chikara led the way, almost trotting to the courtyard. Otabek kept up… sort of. He was still annoyed at being interrupted.

And why was Mari home…

She wasn’t due back for months…

Unless something big was happening that he didn’t know about…

What the fuck…

Mari had already arrived by the time he got there. The direct line, minus Takeda, were there along with a few of the others. Yuuri, in particular, seemed happy to have the eldest of the legitimate children home again. There was an unknown face in the people with her. The entire company handed their mounts off and got under the covered walkways. Her people went off to find warm baths and dry clothes.

Mari stayed behind to greet the siblings who crowded her. She hugged the ones who wanted it and grinned at the ones who didn’t. Otabek stayed at the back, offering a smile and head nod when she saw him.

“Everyone! This is Minako,” she wrapped an arm around the Beta woman who’d stayed put, “She’s mine.”

Good to know.

Maybe that was the reason why she was here…?

A late wedding perhaps…

“That’s wonderful!” Victor gushed, “You _have_ to tell us how you met. I wonder if it’s a better story than how I met my Yuuri.”

“ _Victor_ ,” Yuuri sighed, sounding embarrassed though charmed by the Omega’s antics.

Nobody mentioned the fact that the pair met through what was essentially an offering of the spoils of war to the Emperor. He’d been paraded in and immediately handed off to Yuuri with not so much as a thought… or maybe that **had** been the entire thought… to remind the new king of Vetios of who put him there.

“All well and good but we’re going to freshen up and then to the dining hall! We've brought some exquisite wines with us, the type that could knock a bull on his ass.”

“Shall we have some of the less volatile wines brought up?” Wenli asked.

“Maybe for yours,” Mari replied, “Minako can drink with the best of them,” there was a note of pride there that had Otabek snort a little. They wandered off, Yuuri right there with them. Victor hung back as the others dispersed, all heading, probably, to the dining hall where they’d wait for dinner and bad drinking games.

“You ok?” he approached the tall Omega.

“Of course,” Victor turned with a huge, fake, heart shaped smile, “Why wouldn’t I be…?”

“I don't know. You just don’t seem to be.”

“I just… I wonder how His Excellency will take hearing that Mari’s bonded to someone…”

“Possibly not well,” Otabek replied, “But then he hasn’t cared enough to take her off the field so maybe he doesn’t give a shit.”

“I hope he doesn’t…” Victor replied, “It’d be nice if…”

Otabek waited a moment, “If what…”

Victor seemed off somewhere else, “If maybe more than one of us doesn’t have to try and make due with the little happiness we have,” he grinned at Otabek, “Don’t mind me. The rain’s making me melancholy,” he walked off, “Where’s my Yuuri~?”

_Make due with the little happiness they have…_

Otabek pursed his lips.


	16. Chapter 16

Dinner was served and tales of the battlefield told. Mari was updated on Takeda and the new pup, Kosuke. Jean talked about... _things_. Otabek didn't pay enough attention to it. Tooru managed to piss Frederica off for some reason and then Eita decided to take over the conversation. There was a chorus of groans as Eita talked about his courting woes _again_.

“Isn’t Ushi the one after Tooru?” Mari asked.

“... Yea…?”

“Why are you still thinking about him?”

Eita blinked, “Because he’s a good Alpha despite having poor taste in Omegas.”

Tooru sent him a flat look, “Says the Omega he’s courting.”

“He picked you first and then realized his mistake.”

“He only chose you because I dumped him,” Tooru smirked.

Eita looked annoyed, “That’s besides the point.”

“Shut the fuck up the both of you,” Hajime snipped.

“Not in front of the _kids_ ,” Yuuri gave them all a look.

“What’s with Tendo?” Mari asked, getting it back on track.

“He’s fuckin’ weird,” Koushi smirked when Yuuri threw him a look. Daichi winced.

“No he’s not!” Eita looked betrayed.

Koushi propped an arm on the table, counting fingers off, “He sings to himself, has conversations with himself and like two other people _only he_ sees. He’s predicted the future _at least_ twice which is fu-stupid weird. I swear, he’s got an agreement with some eldridge being or something. There’s no way any of that’s normal.”

“People sing to themselves.”

“About smashing their enemies and crushing their spirits?”

“Yamgii isn’t exactly the most peaceful place you know.”

“Neither is half the world and you don’t hear about randos singing about crushing their enemies while visiting a potential spouse in another country… The one that do do that are crazy.”

“You're just jealous you never had two Alphas after your hand.”

Koushi gave his twin a ‘bitch please’ face and then hung on Daichi who blushed to his ears. The Alpha did smile a little, looking warmly at the top of Koushi’s head where it rested against his shoulder. It was very sweet and Otabek wanted none of it. He _wanted_ to be back in his rooms with Yuri… see if maybe they could pick up where Chikara had interrupted them or… or maybe not… maybe they’d talk some more. It wasn’t even about gathering information anymore, though that was necessary. He just honestly wanted to know about the Omega and what had happened to him in his however many years he’d been alive.

Maybe they'd just lay under the blankets together and he could saturate his nose with citrus and warm rain.

He couldn’t leave yet though. There was nothing else going on and it’d be suspicious for him to leave first. It’d be ok after a couple of them left but he had to wait until then. Hopefully the mated pairs got tired early and he could go.

The pups were sent to bed soon after and the drinks were refilled. Toasts to Mari and Minako’s happiness were made and drunk. Jean pulled out a gambling set and Otabek resigned himself to another hour of _this_. It was painful… but fun in a way. Mari was relentless in her bets and the only reason she didn’t sweep the board was that her luck was sporadic at best. She still bluffed her way to victory more often than not. Wenli kept up to a point, but he wasn’t as mean about it. Kiyoko actually did fairly well for a few hands she played. Koushi was more interested in flirting with Daichi to mess the Alpha up than he was his own bets but still managed one or two impressive takes before he got distracted and bet everything only to have it all taken by Otabek in one of the few rounds he won.

A dozen rounds in had Victor’s face flushed as he leaned into Yuuri who wasn’t doing much better. Otabek was shocked that neither of them had tried to strip yet for as many as they’d had to drink over the course of the evening. Tooru was nearly asleep by now so Hajime threw the towel in and excused them both. Wenli wasn’t far behind though neither he nor Frederica were particularly tipsy. Otabek was about to go himself but was dealt in again and one look from Mari kept him at the table. About halfway through had Victor topless and drunk Yuuri trying desperately to put it back on but also trying to take his own pants off. The smell of drunk arousal from the pair was… well it wasn’t pleasant. The only ones who seemed amused by it was Mari and Koushi who’d been playing with Daichi’s hair for the last thirty minutes. The Alpha had given up on the need to stay awake and had slumped into his finance’s lap.

“We should get them to bed,” Otabek commented, hoping this was his ticket to get away.

“I’ll help ya,” Mari got up, pecking Minako on the head and went to hoist Yuuri to wobbly feet. Otabek pulled Victor up and slung an limp arm over his shoulders. “So… what’s up with you…?”

Otabek felt his heart seize up, fumbling with the Omega who’d decided he was Yuuri and was trying to paw him up a little, “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been distracted all evening,” Mari verbally shrugged, “You’ve always been in your own head alot but tonight was a little more than usual.”

“Hm…”

“Who is it? One of the maids.”

Otabek tried his damndest to not blush, “No… nothing like that.”

“You’re a bad liar.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Mari glanced at him, brow cocked, “And I’m calling bullshit.” She left it alone long enough to deposit them in their rooms where Yuuri immediately pounced on Victor. Otabek inwardly cringed at the sound of ripping material as he followed Mari back out the door. He tried to get around her and go, but she grabbed him by the elbow, “Your face might not say much but it’s in your eyes. They’re dull in the way you don’t want to be somewhere yet bright because there’s someone that makes you feel something. I’ve seen it too often to mistake it for something else. Do something about it and soon. I don’t know what Father has planned for you, but there’s not much time to take control of yourself before it’s taken from you.”

Otabek stared at her, “You… you think I should…? Take control that is.”

Mari tossed her head a little, the rings in her ears glinting in the torchlight, “If you’re feeling this strongly about it then yea. The matches Father’s made have gone his way because they all didn’t have anything else. If you’ve managed to cultivate something for yourself, take it. It’ll be taken from you otherwise and you’ll be left wondering ‘what if’ and that’s not a ‘what if’ you’ll want to live with,” She let him go and pulled a bit of rolled grass from her pocket, lighting it taking a long pull form it before letting the smoke out, “but in the end it’s up to you. I just hope you’re happy with it.” She walked off after that, leaving Otabek to his thoughts.

He took enough of a detour to pick up food and a bottle of wine before heading back to his rooms. Yuri was lounging on the bed when he got back. The way his green eyes glittered in the candlelight made his insides melt a little.

“Food,” he placed it on the floor near the fire that Sebastian had likely kept going for him. Yuri joined him on the floor with half the blankets and picked at the plate. He opened the bottle and took a good swig before handing it to Otabek and stared. Otabek accepted it… and, without breaking eye contact except to make sure he wasn’t going to spill it all over himself, took a healthy sip. Yuri offered him a piece of fruit after that and Otabek almost blushed as he took it, lightly nipping at Yuri’s fingers in the process. He wasn’t sure when or why the mood had shifted to _this_ but he couldn’t really complain. He was so incredibly out of his depth though, going off of what he’d heard from his siblings and Sebastain and the odd erotica he’d found in the library he’d skipped through before slamming the book shut in embarrassment.

He wished now he’d read more.

Instinct helped some but it was a matter of _how_. Yuri helped some, giving clues here and there, but he seemed to be almost as out of his depth. The blush on his cheeks was becoming though and made his Alpha preen a little.

“May I kiss you?”

Yuri pulled him close and kissed him. It was sweet… until Yuri’s tongue brushes his lip. The sparks down his spine were something completely new and overpowering. He’d pushed Yuri down to the floor and ended up on top of him, some of his weight on his arms before he’d managed to stop himself. Yuri didn’t seem annoyed though, just wrapped his legs around his waist, one hand in his hair and scraping at the short hair of his undercut.

He leaned into it, something between a growl and a purr escaping, “We shouldn’t…”

“Maybe,” Yuri didn’t sound particularly like he wanted to stop.

“It’s too soon…”

_‘take control of yourself before it’s taken from you’_

“We may not have much left,” Yuri replied as he stared at him.

His insides squeezed painfully, “ _Yuri_ …” he dipped his head to nip at the Omega’s throat.

“ _Yura_ ,” Yuri gasped, “Call me Yura…”

He pulled away just enough to see green, “What does that mean.”

“Like a nickname… but not everyone can use it.”

He… he was giving Otabek… something like **that** …

He cupped Yuri’s face and kissed him, “ _Yura_.” Yuri shivered under him, setting his Alpha off. “ _Yura_ …” He nipped at his jaw and followed it down his neck. Yuri squirmed under him, whining a little and clutching at him. “ _Yura_.”

“ _Beka please,_ ” Yuri sounded close to tears.

He froze, brain coming to a halt.

Could he do this?

Could he just say ‘fuck it’ and mate with this Omega, bite him, bond with him…

Was it really as simple as all that…?

The hands fumbling with the back of his shirt certainly seemed to think so.

_‘take control of yourself before it’s taken from you.’_

He dipped his head, kissing Yuri like his life depended on it.


	17. Chapter 17

Yuri tears their mouths apart, “Are we really doing this?”

Otabek nips his jaw, “Do you want to?”

“More you than anybody else.”

Otabek paused, “Do you want to bond? With me?”

Yuri stared at him and slowly raised a hand to cup his cheek. Otabek leaned into it. “I… I think so... “

“I won’t,” he kissed the palm, “Not unless you’re sure.”

There was half a smile, “We’re soulmates aren’t we? Whether we like it or not, we’re forever…”

That… wasn’t an answer Otabek was happy with, “I won’t force you, soulmate or not.”

Yuri sighed, “Man you know how to kill a mood.”

Otabek sat back, feeling disappointed, his raging hardon slowly dying, “I’m sorry…”

Yuri huffed and sat up, “You know most Alphas would’ve jumped on that right?”

Otabek pressed his lips thin, “I’m sure they would have.”

Yuri scooted closer, “What’s up…? Why not just do it?”

Otabek swallowed and then looked up, meeting Yuri’s eyes, “You’ve been so hesitant to even call me your soulmate… you’ve fought this every step of the way, saying you can’t trust me… That you’re scared I’d turn on you… I want to make sure you **want** this like I do.” Yuri blinked and looked away, “I want this, Yuri…” he waited for the flinch but it never came, “I want you. I want you next to me… but not if you don’t. I don’t want you to look back and feel like I forced you into anything.”

Yuri tossed his head, “I thank you for your concern but I’ve never been forced to do anything.”

Otabek’s brows creased, “You said you’ve had to _do things_ -”

“There’s a difference between ‘forced’ and ‘had to’ do things… I could have _not_ slept with those people and starved, but that would have been my choice. I’ve never been held down and **made** to do anything. Every one of them was a willing exchange that we both benefited from. This-” he cupped Otabek’s cheek, “I want this… You’ve proven yourself and I…” he sort of frowned, looking worn, “I’m tired of running. All I’ve done for the last seven years is run and plot... and I still am but you’ve… you’ve made the wolf den safe. _You’ve_ kept me safe at risk to your own self. It's not been long but I usually have a good sense of these things.” he leaned in, pressing a lingering kiss to Otabek’s lips, “I want this. I want _you_.” They stared at each other for a moment, the air slowly charging, “Are you gonna fuck me, Alpha.”

Something primal Otabek had never felt before surged. He gripped Yuri’s face, kissing the air out of him, “Here or the bed.”

“Bed please,” Yuri gasped. Otabek gathered him up and dumped him on the mattress. Yuri scrambled back to make room as Otabek went after him. Tongues warred as hands wandered. Everything came to a screeching halt when Yuri started tugging at his pants. Otabek, a lust haze, had leaned back a little and Yuri had jerked them down abit. The first foreign touch on his dick makes him freeze, his brain coming to a complete and total stop as his hand grabs Yuri’s wrist.

“What.”

He feels himself flush, “Um…”

Yuri tilts his head, grinning at him, “Have you never touched yourself?”

“I _have_ … I just… _nobody else_ has and…” he blushes harder when Yuri deliberately looks down, “Don’t-!”

“Why not?” Yuri looks back up, smug as hell, “It’s one of the best ones I’ve seen,” he gives a tug and Otabek gasps, “I’m gonna be one,” _tug_ , “happy,” _tug_ , “Omega.”

“Fuck,” he braces himself, hand squeezing Yuri’s wrist, silently begging him to stop before it’s too late.

“Man… You’re _really_ …” Yuri sounded almost amazed.

“I’ve,” he focused on breathing, “I’ve never…”

“Are you serious? You’re a _virgin_?”

Otabek flushed, “You’re _the **first**_ person not my blood family or soulmate-bonded maids that I’ve ever touched in my life. We… I told you that...”

“I know… I…” the amusement in Yuri’s face died, “I’m sorry… I wasn’t making _fun_ of you… You’re just… _objectively_ hot and… I don’t know… maybe I thought you’d snuck something in somewhere with a servant or some barmaid… I thought you said that because that’s what you expected me to want to hear or some shit,” he looked down, “I forget what being so stringent about that kind of thing is like… We couldn't afford to be that way. Once we… got out, we had to adapt… If it meant touching someone so we could eat or have a roof over our head for that night, we did.”

“I’m sorry… I’ll probably be a disappointment then…”

Yuri smirked a little but it wasn’t mean spirited, “Just means I have a blank canvas to make my own… and I’ll be the best you’ve ever had.” He crawled till he straddled Otabek’s lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. Otabek forced himself to breathe and placed his hands on the Omega’s waist. “So… are you _completely_ innocent or… do you have _some_ idea what to do with an Omega…?”

Otabek flushed harder, “I’ve… um _read_ -” his voice pitched embarrassingly high, “things?”

“Oh,” green lit up with glee, “Has Beka been reading porn?”

“No-! Just…” he sighed, feeling flustered, “I was curious ok? I’d hear Sebastian and Keishin and guys down at the training pits talk and see what happens when Yuuri and Victor get drunk and, you know…”

Yuri tilted his face back up, kissing him and then pulled back, “Show me what you know.”

Otabek grimaced. This shouldn’t be embarrassing… Yuri was his soulmate. It was though… Yuri was _clearly_ experienced and Otabek felt like a fumbling newly presented.

The dyed brunette lays flat on his back and wraps his legs around Otabek’s waist, pulling him in closer, “Don’t be shy…” the smirk’s snarky but there’s a warmth there, “we’re gonna be seeing alot of each other like this.”

“I know,” he slowly leans over the Omega, resting his weight on one hand while the other skims the pale chest, purposefully looking at it for the first time, “I’m just…”

“It’s ok… _touch_ me,” the heels at the small of his back pull him closer, “Do what you want. I’ll only stop you if you’re hurting me.”

Otabek licked his lips, thinking back to everything he’d stored away. Foreplay was something that seemed important so he dipped his head kissing him and skimming bare skin. It was mostly smooth with the occasional scar here and there and so light compared to his. He touches everywhere and Yuri shivers a little. They part enough for clothes to come off and… the sight of Yuri is something else. The glimpses he’s gotten in the last few days do nothing in comparison to actually getting to look at him. He’s dainty yet not. He can see what he’s supposed to be under the malnutrition that they’ve been working on righting. There’s strength though… It’s mostly spirit Otabek thinks, but it’s kept Yuri alive till he could get to him. He’s aware he’s just as much on display but it doesn’t faze him as much as he thought it might.

Yuri leans close, hands running up his chest to wrap around his neck. Lips touch his, a tongue teasing. Otabek lets instinct take over, one hand supporting Yuri as he lays him back down and hovers over him as their tongues fight for dominance. He scents slick and almost sighs, thankful he’s doing something right. Yuri bucks up into him after a moment and Otabek slips a hand between his legs, finding him rather wet. He pulls away enough to focus on what he’s doing, something he’s only ever seen in books. The Alphas around him don’t even talk about this part that much. He’s running on instinct more than anything and Yuri’s subtle encouragement to know he’s doing at least a passable job.

The heat as he slowly thrusts into Yuri is almost enough to make him come right there.

It’s so tight and so hot… the world’s best hug as someone, probably Keishin, had described it once.

It takes so much for him to shove it down and keep moving, trying to make Yuri feel just as good as he did. He tries shifting them around some, thrusting into different spots. He finds Yuri surprisingly flexible and files it away for when he’s better at this.

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

Yuri can tell he’s trying.

Is it perfect?

No… not by a long shot.

There’s a desire to please there that’s encouraging though.

Given enough time, he’ll be every Omega’s dream lay.

And he’s all Yuri’s.

That’s the part that stands out the most… that he gets to keep this… gets to keep _him_.

Otabek’s not leaving him after tonight.

This beautiful man, the one who’s trying so **so** hard to find his prostate, is staying with him.

And he finds it-

Yuri arches with a gasp, a delicious jolt rushing up his spine, “Right there…!” Otabek hammers it over and over, getting enthusiastic about it, and Yuri feels it doing something, feels it building. The hands on him are vice grips, the Alpha clearly trying to hold on. He doesn’t quite make it though and Yuri feels a knot well before he _really_ wants it.

Otabek leans over him, chest heaving, “I’m… I’m sorry…”

Yuri cups his cheek, “Not bad for a first go.”

“But you didn’t…”

Yuri shrugs, feeling generous, “It’s not about me tonight.”

“But…”

He smirks, “If you feel _that_ bad about it, you _could_ suck me off.”

Otabek blinks at him, “I’ve… I’ve never…”

“I figured you hadn’t.”

There’s a look of determination that Yuri finds delightful, “I can try though… once this-” his hips shift, “-goes down enough.”

“If you want,” Yuri reaches down, feeling a little dirty at touching himself and loving it. Otabek seems to force himself to look down, his own hand covering Yuri’s. It’s weird… He’s done this with Alpha’s before but this… this seems so much more intimate than any of those others.

He actually has the urge to blush.

The knot fades enough that Otabek pulls out and slowly drops-

“Wait!” Yuri’s eyes bug, “You’re actually?”

Otabek blinks at him, brows furrowed, “Should I not? Do you not want me to?”

“I mean… No one’s ever… It’s not really a thing Alphas do…?”

“No?”

Yuri shook his head, “I guess _some_ do but I’ve never…”

“Would you like me to… Or at least try to.”

Yuri’s not sure what to think, “You’d… really?”

Otabek bites his lip and glances down before slowly dipping his head and licking the tip. Yuri jolts and hands pin his hips to the bed. There’s something smug about the Alpha as he stares at him and then down and he’s mouthing at it again and oh fuck-! Yuri gets to keep this man. He tangles his hands in thick dark hair as he’s teased till he can’t take it anymore.

_“Fucking… get on with i-AH!”_

He’s not quite all in the Alpha’s mouth but damn if it wasn’t close and he doesn’t even care. Just the fact that he’s here and he’s got an Alpha slobbering over him and, yup he’s choking, fuck that’s such a turn on. More so than he expects because that’s it for him.

_“Bek-I’m-”_

The Alpha jerks away, face screwed up a little, but he’s done it.

They stare at each other for a moment and then Yuri giggles a little. Otabek smiles and crawls up, wrapping his arms around him. Yuri sinks into him and pulls the covers up over them.

“So… that was a thing.”

“Yea,” Yuri leans up and kisses Otabek, “Hey.”

“Mm?”

_I think I might love you._

“That was really nice.”

Otabek smiles a little.


	18. Chapter 18

Waking up… felt like it should’ve felt different…

Otabek really wasn’t sure how… He just assumed he’d feel differently after having sex for the first time. Touching Yuri had been such a life changing moment that the lack of… something close to that caliber happening after _being_ with Yuri was a little disappointing.

Still… it was nice to wake up to the Omega as he’d done for the last few days… or had it been a week…?

He honestly couldn’t remember.

All he knew was that he wanted to wake up to that face for the rest of his life.

Yuri was buried under the blankets, head just barely peeking out over the top. The dye was still there… though fading a little… He’d probably have another week before he’d have to do it again. Otabek would honestly like it to go back to the blond but, Yuri staying hidden was better… for now at least.

Until he figured out, in detail, what the hell was going on.

All he’d been able to figure out was that Yuri’s family, minus a brother had been murdered and he’d been left on his own since then. What that had to do with the current King, he wasn’t sure. He’s not even sure what country to look at… though maybe he could hazard a guess…

Vetios seems like a good start.

The problem with that though was what Yuri had to do with Rein… Reinhart? Rein-something von Longen-something or something like that. It was long and complicated and Otabek didn’t care enough to remember it.

But what did Yuri have to do with it? With him?

The way he talked almost sounded like his brother, the one here in the palace, was.. The true king?

Which was impossible… because that meant Victor.

Victor had never mentioned a brother… hadn’t mentioned siblings in general.

A finger ran down his face, between his eyes and down his nose.

“Hm?”

“You looked like you were thinking very hard about something,” Yuri stared at his finger still on Otabek’s face before looking him in the eye, “Where’d you go?”

He smiled a little, “Nowhere all that important.”

“So you just zone all the way out for nothing in particular…?” Yuri’s brow cocked.

Otabek snorted a little and rolled, pinning Yuri under him, “Maybe… I was thinking about how I would fold you up next time.”

_Holy shit where did that come from-_

“Were you now?” Yuri smirked as he pulled the blankets from around him, “Wanna try and see…?”

Oh did he.

He really did… He wanted to see Yuri like that again, all flushed and breathless. He wanted to watch him come undone again and know that **he’d** been the one to do that.

The rest of him apparently agreed.

Yuri smirked as he rolled his hips, dressing their fronts together. Otabek gasped as Yuri sucked air between his teeth. They stared as they rubbed against each other, skin on skin. Otabek reached between them, grabbing them both and gave a few tugs. Yuri’s back arched a little and they were both spent a few moments later.

Otabek slowly, reluctantly, got up to bathe in the cold water left in the tub. Once fresh faced, and hopefully not reeking of Omega, he left to get breakfast and send Sebastian or Tetsuro up with Yuri’s. The breakfast table was sparse, most of them not up yet due to the drinking. Victor was though, his genetics giving him the ability to drink like a fish and not feel it in the morning. Otabek was sure the entire family mildly resented him for it.

“Good morning!”

“Good morning.”

“You don’t look like death.”

“I didn’t drink much either.”

“Ah,” Victor glanced down to help Lev with his fruit, giving the pup small bits to chew on, “My Yuuri overdid it again. I heard the maids say that Chikara and Jean got rather plastered too.”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Otabek replied as he picked his breakfast. “Do you mind if I ask you something…” he asked after a moment.

“Of course not,” Victor grinned that heart smile.

“Do you-did you have siblings growing up…”

The smile froze, “Why do you ask?”

Otabek looked at the kids, “Just… the way you stare at them sometimes…”

The silence stretched till he was sure Victor wasn’t going to answer him.

“I had two…” the Omega sounded sad, “I didn’t really grow up with them since I was a bit older… like you and Wenli… but they were there. Gods, they must’ve been eleven, maybe twelve the last time I saw them… before...” The fact that they were dead, or, in Yuri’s case, _presumed_ dead, went unsaid.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine,” Victor replied, “I haven’t thought about them in awhile… I wonder…”

“... What…”

“I wonder what they would’ve grown to be… especially… Yuri… He was always difficult, strong willed… He didn’t really care what the others thought of him… I think he would’ve done well at court. They wouldn’t have been able to bully him or pressure him into something.”

The sinking feeling in Otabek’s chest plummeted.

Yuri was here to take Victor back to Vetios.

Yuri was going to try and undo the treaty.

He was-oh fuck- He was going to undo everything…

Otabek forced something of a smile, “I’m sure he would’ve loved the kids…”

“Maybe,” Victor’s was a little more genuine and Otabek felt comfortable leaving him there, most of his breakfast untouched. He made his way to the library where, he hoped, he could find the records of the war. There were only a couple of books he could find on the subject and neither of them gave the picture Yuri’s comments seemed to paint. Nothing in either even hinted at a murder plot that killed children or an installed monarch.

But Yuri said it happened…

And Victor seemed to back it up even if his only comment was about how he’d had siblings.

 _Had_ …

Suggesting that he didn't have them anymore-

“What are you reading…?”

Otabek glanced up at Wenli, noting the book under the older Alpha’s arm, “Nothing of great importance.”

Wenli sat on the table, pulling his legs up to cross in front of him, “Oh? You’ve been in here awhile.”

Otabek fought not to frown, “I was… curious about something.”

There was a smile, “And what could’ve caught your attention so thoroughly…?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Otabek closed the books and stacked them-

“The Vetian War hm…? That’s an interesting piece.”

Otabek froze, “What do you know about it…?”

Wenli’s hands clasped, “Depends…”

“On what?”

“On why you’re looking into it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm out of town house hunting so the next chapter own't be up for a few days


	19. Chapter 19

_"On why are you looking into it."_

“Why does it matter why I’m looking into it?” Otabek replied, “Aren’t the answers the same either way?”

Wenli stared at him, eyes searching his with an intensity, “... Things aren’t so simple…”

“That tells me nothing.”

“What are you hoping to find, Otabek….”

“I can’t just be curious?”

“You’ve never expressed interest before. Something has _pushed_ you to be curious.”

Otabek narrowed his eyes, “ _Your_ interest in _my_ interests is a little… much… don’t you think?”

Wenli just smiled a little, “Not at all. I always take interest in what my siblings want to learn about… especially when it doesn’t match their previous interests.”

“I’ll thank you for leaving it alone,” Otabek picked the books up and walked off. The rustling of Wenli’s robes were the only clue he had that Wenli moved before he was shoved into the shelving. “What-”

“Why are you looking into Vetios?” Wenli’s voice was low.

“Why do you care.”

“Who sent you? Why do you suddenly care?”

“You’re acting _mighty_ suspicious. One might think there’s something to hide…” Otabek brushed Wenli’s nose with his, “ _ **Is**_ there? What’s hiding between the lines, Brother? What untold horrors are you afraid of me finding out… Murder… perhaps…” he _might_ be showing his cards too soon, “Is it kids? I’ll bet it was kids… Victor’s mentioned a brother right? Maybe? Where is he…? I don’t see him anywhere in our books.”

Wenli stares… and then ducks out of the aisle long enough to make sure there was no one else around before yanking Otabek further into the shelving and through a door Otabek hadn’t known was there. He locks said door and leans against it, blocking Otabek from leaving. It’s a small room too, only big enough for a desk and overstuffed bookshelf.

“You’re one of the few siblings I consider to be… non-malicious.”

Otabek blinked, “ _Thanks_ …?”

Wenli gives him a weary look, “ _Meaning_ I don’t think you would have a hostile agenda. You’ve never given me reason to think you crave power.”

Ok that was fair.

“Because I don’t.”

Wenli nodded to himself, “What I tell you doesn’t leave this room.”

Doubtful but sure.

“There were three children in total. Victor was the oldest and then two younger ones. There’s no mention of them in the Tomes of the Final Sleep and they were important enough to be listed among those dead in the official records. The parents are there but not the two younger royals.”

“If they’re not here then how do _you_ know about them?”

“Vetian records. They were supposed to be destroyed but I’ve managed to hide a set.”

Otabek felt his eyes widen, “Why would they destroy their own records?”

“It wasn't them... _Our Father_ wanted them burned.”

Otabek's brows furrowed, “What interest does Father have with Vetian records? They don’t matter-”

“Unless he’s trying to cover something up.”

This was getting fairly treasonous…

If someone found them talking about this, they could both be sentenced.

“Cover up what? We won the war and they gave us Victor… What else could we possibly want with them?”

“I’m still trying to figure it out… I think it’s the king though… I think he’s connected somehow.”

_‘The government we have right now is a sham… He just wants the crown. He’s a fake.’_

“How… likely is it that…” he tried to wrangle his thoughts.

“How likely is what?”

“Who _is_ the new king?”

“Reinhard von Lohengramm. I’d have to check but I think he’s the previous king’s cousin’s child or something. Why?”

“Is it possible that he… _sided_ with Father?”

Wenli’s face stilled. Otabek could see the gears working in his head. “Betrayal…? Selling the entire royal family for the crown…?”

“A puppet monarch.”

Wenli’s eyes widened, “If that’s true then…”

Otabek mouth tightened, “That’s bad…”

There was a brief silence, “What’s your interest in it?”

Otabek bit the inside of his cheek, “Let’s just say I know someone with a vested interest in who sits on that throne.”

“This is a dangerous line, Otabek.”

“I know…”

“I hope it’s worth it.”

Otabek stared at his brother and said with the utmost conviction, “I think so. If… if what seems to have happened really did happen… there’s some wrongs to right.”

Wenli gave him a serious look, “I hope you don’t plan to go against Father. Learning truth is one thing, but treason is something else. We won the war with Vetios, regardless of how we did it-”

“I don’t plan on trying to reverse the outcome of the war,” Otabek cut him off, “As distasteful as it is, we did win… But if there’s a better fit for the throne, shouldn’t I try to fix that? Vetios is crumbling. The majority of their people are starving. Father’s been sending them aid for years now… though… if the king really is just a puppet then I doubt it’s because of goodwill that we’re helping them.”

“So you uncover a plot to rule them from the shadows. What next?”

“Get rid of the Lohen-whoever-”

“-Lohengramm-”

“-Whatever. Get rid of him and put who’s _supposed_ to be there there.”

“And we’re supposed to just **hope** that they won’t come after us for damages or sue or even start another war-”

“He won’t do that.”

 _Fuck_.

Wenli shot him a look, “‘ _He_ ’..? Who’s ‘ _he_ ’?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

A dark brow cocked, “It _very_ much does. Who is ‘he’ and why does he think he’s the rightful heir? What proof do you have that he is who he claims to be? He could be plotting himself and pulling you into it-”

“Victor confirmed his existence and…”

“... And…?”

“The kids have his eyes… That exact shade of green.”

Wenli gave him a look, “Where is he?”

“No.”

“Otabek-”

“No…!” he gets into Wenli’s space, “He stays where he is. Nobody knows anything,” he stared him dead in the eye, “He doesn’t exist. Got it.” Wenli’s face tightened, “If I hear even a _whisper_ of someone looking for him… or stalking me… or **my** staff… I _will_ come for you and I will _ruin_ you… This conversation? It didn’t happen… unless you test me. Don’t make me do something we’ll both regret. I’m not turning on anybody… I just want to right a wrong and help a bunch of starving people,” he took a step back, “You said yourself I didn’t want power, that I wasn’t malicious… It’s up to you to make sure I stay that way,” he moved again, nudging his brother from the door and, once he made sure the coast was clear, left the library.

He had to talk to Yuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> House hunting was a success! This means that there will be few weekends in the next couple of months that I'll not be posting to this story due to moving shit and there might be a week or so in March too, but we'll see. Weekday updates won't be affected much if at all.


	20. Chapter 20

Otabek went directly to his own rooms. Sebastian was just leaving and gave him a nod. Given the time, it was probably a lunch tray. He nodded back and headed inside, finding Yuri picking at a bowl of fruit in front of the fire.

“There you are.”

Otabek cocked a brow, “Oh?”

“Not often I fuck somebody for free and wake up the an empty bed.”

Otabek… wasn’t sure how to respond to that, “I’ve been elsewhere…” Yuri gave him a curious glance as he lowered himself down to the floor, “Yuri… I’m going to ask you something and it’s a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question.”

“O...k…”

“Are you here for Victor.”

Yuri’s eyes bugged, “What? I-”

“Yes… or no…”

Yuri pursed his lips and looked away. It looked like he was trying to find a way around answering… and then his shoulders sagged, “Yea…”

Otabek nodded to himself, “I thought so.”

“How,” Yuri’s voice was _very_ small, “How did you know?”

“Victor mentioned siblings… particularly a ‘difficult, strong-willed’ little brother.”

“That could be anybody.”

“Perhaps… though he did call him ‘Yuri’ which I thought interesting…”

The Omega just seemed to give up altogether, “Is that all he said about me?”

“He thought you’d do well in court.”

Yuri snorted, “What? So they can push me around?”

“That’s why he thought you’d do well… because you wouldn’t let them.”

“Damn straight… fucking peacocks,” he bit it lip, “So what now? You go get the guards…?”

“Why would I do that.”

Yuri looked up, “Because I’m here to take Victor back home, to take his rightful place on the throne-!”

“You haven’t threatened my family,” Otabek replied with a shrug, “You’re not trying a war per se. I don’t consider you a threat for wanting to take Victor home.”

“Oh,” Yuri paused, “So what’s the plan then?”

Otabek scooted closer, raising a hand to brush against Yuri’s scent gland, “I want to bond with you.”

Yuri’s eyes bugged, “Even… even after knowing what I’m here for?”

Otabek leaned in, “I think… There has been a massive wrongdoing… I want to help you fix it if we can.”

Green shimmered and he leaned into Otabek’s hand, “You’d help get my family’s throne back?”

“If what I think happened really happened then yes,” he pressed his nose to Yuri’s temple, “Tell me… what happened?”

Yuri pulled away and tugged him toward the bed, climbing up on it and huddled under the blankets. Otabek followed, ducking under the blankets and wrapping Yuri up tight. Neither said a word for awhile. He could tell Yuri was gathering his thoughts.

“Rein… Rein was my uncle’s stepson. He doesn’t have an official claim to the throne. He thinks he does though because His stepfather, my uncle, was the original heir after my grandfather abdicated. My uncle died before that was the case and my father was the one crowned. That makes Victor the heir… Rein disagrees… He thinks that, because his stepfather would have been crowned, that he should have simply been crowned since he would have been claimed as my uncle’s heir… or so he thinks… I actually don’t know if he would have… That crown has had one long bloodline ruling it for generations. You can literally trace my lineage back a least two hundred years.”

Otabek popped his brows, “That’s… something…”

“That’s why I think he’s the one who betrayed my family. He wanted what he thought was his and stole it from us.”

“Do you remember what happened? With the murders? Motive doesn’t matter **right now** … just what happened.”

Yuri looked down, “We were twelve, just turned. Neither of us had presented yet, but I think Akira could have been an Alpha…” he sniffed, “We um… we heard noises out in the hallway… heard Momma scream… Akira made me get under her bed and Kenma under mine. Her double, I can’t even remember her name… Yachi? maybe… That sounds about right… She-she got into my bed and-” his eyes watered and Otabek pulled him into his chest, “the door opened and… boots… I couldn’t see them but there were boots, eight of them and Victor was screaming from the hall and Akira… Akira didn't make a sound. They just killed her… and Yachi…” his shoulders shook with a sob, “I remember wanting to get up and fight them but Kenma-” he cried again, “Kenma kept shaking his head… and they left… We waited hours to make sure they were really gone before getting up. She was so cold, Beka,” Yuri looked up at him, eyes ringing in red, “She was so cold, there was so much blood… I never even got to say goodbye…”

Otabek swallowed the lump in his throat, “ _I’m_ _sorry_.”

“I watched them take Victor away, wanted to follow his scent but Kenma said that they’d kill us if we were caught. So we ran. We’ve been running for years, but I’m strong enough. I can get him, take him home…”

Otabek's head swam with everything, “Do you know what they looked like? or sounded like?”

“They were speaking the common language but I couldn’t tell you the accent…. It wasn’t Vetian though.”

Had Father had a direct hand in killing Yuri’s sister?

Would he really send men to kill children…?

He had a hard time believing that but… _If_ Vetios was a puppet monarchy and Father was the one pulling the strings, he’d probably want to make sure it was done right. The fact that he’d installed the traitor, Reinhard, as the king told Otabek all his father thought of the usurper. Father figured he could control him easily enough.

“The only problem I see with your plan…”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know if Victor will leave.”

“He has to! Our home-our people are-”

“I know,” Otabek soothed, “but Victor’s spent the last _seven_ _years_ here. He has a life here, a mate… kids… He’s got two kids, Yuri. And Yuuri, my brother, he’s going to be Emperor within the decade. He won’t follow Victor and that’s assuming he’d let Victor go.”

“You’d let them keep him a prisoner here?”

“It’s not so much about letting them keep him a prisoner as much as I don’t think he’d go if given the choice… He’s happy… or _mostly_ happy. He’s got affection for Yuuri and Yuuri for him and they love Alisa and Lev-”

“Lev?”

“Mhm, he’s a year I think? Maybe a little older… I can’t ever remember how much older he is than Riseki.”

“Lev was our father’s name… and Alisa was… Momma.”

Otabek felt his throat close up again… “I’m sorry.”

Yuri sniffed and clutched his shirt, “Can I meet him? Can I, at least, see Victor and ask him?”

Otabek covered his hands with one of his own and cupped Yuri’s face with the other, “I’ll try to find someplace safe for you to, ok?”

Yuri surged forward, kissing him fiercely, “ _Thank_ _you_.”


	21. Chapter 21

He knew.

He knew…

Beka knew why he was here… and wasn’t tossing him to the guards…?

Yuri had been so sure that he’d be dead the instant anybody found out he was here for Victor.

But the Alpha had surprised him yet again.

Right then might not have been the best time in the world to seduce him either, but the fact that Otabek was willing to try and let him see Victor _knowing_ Yuri would try and convince the older Omega to leave was just-

It’d made Yuri’s insides quiver with something that wasn’t quite lust but close enough and Otabek was hot anyway so what more reason did he need?

The Alpha was hesitant to follow him down into the blankets but Yuri definitely made it worth his while when he rolled them both and sank down on him. He strung him along for a good long while before finally letting Otabek knot him. Beka shuddered so hard, his teeth probably rattled and he just lay there for awhile, chest heaving as Yuri stayed straddled on top of him. It gave him the perfect opportunity to just stare and touch, memorize everything about the Alpha. Everything screamed Alpha from the definition of muscle to the way his hands, mostly his palms and fingertips, were rough. Well actually that last bit said more about his hobbies than being an Alpha. Yuri had known a few Alphas with silk smooth hands. The calluses on Otabek’s told of hours training with the sword, possibly the bow. It was unbearably attractive and Yuri didn’t know why.

“Hey…” Yuri ran both hands up and down the abs in front of him.

“Hm?” Otabek still sounded a little out of it.

“Did you mean it?”

“Mean what.”

“When you said you wanted to bond with me… Did you mean it?”

Hands covered his and dark eyes, mostly alert now, stared at him, “Of course… the sooner the better too but… I’ll wait… if you want…”

Yuri almost wants to cry, “ _Beka_ … I...-”

“You don’t have to decide now if-”

“I want to though… I do.”

Otabek slowly sits up, one hand holding his hips still so the knot doesn’t tug too much, “You don’t have to say that if-”

Yuri leaned forward, watching the Alpha’s pupils dilate again, before tilting his head and kissing him, “ _Bite me, Alpha._ ”

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

Otabek wasn’t sure what the jolt through his entire body could be categorized as. It was _**so**_ much more than anything he's ever felt before. Everything tingled sharply and he could feel his canines sharpening in the way he’d only read about.

Yuri kissed him, pushed him back down in the blankets before slowly easing himself off of Otabek and settling next to him, back arched and ass out in a perfect presenting pose. It was absolutely the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen. Yuri’s half-lidded green eyes followed him as he leaned over and kissed a pale shoulder and let the sharpened teeth drag a little. Yuri shivered and smirked a little, wiggling his ass. Otabek smacked it a little and Yuri hissed before wiggling it a little more, taunting him. He ran his fingers over the faint pink mark and lower to the crease at the bottom his ass and the top of his thigh. Yuri jerked, hips thrusting into nothing.

“Fuck you… Weren’t you a virgin like last night?”

“Unskilled does not mean untaught,” he replied.

“What the fuck does that even mean?”

“Means I’ve taught myself quite a bit, just never had the option to practice them,” he kissed between Yuri’s shoulder blades, as he traced between Yuri’s legs with featherlight fingertips, “I hope you’ll forgive the necessary practice.”

“ _Fuck_ …” Yuri sighed, sounding breathless as his hips jerked, “If this is you _without_ practice, I’ll **hate** you when you’re good- _shit_ - _driving me crazy_.”

He noses his way down Yuri’s spine before dipping to lick a stripe up Yuri’s crack. The Omega jolts but stays put. Otabek grins at the little noises he’s making, finally easing up to lean over Yuri, pinning him to the bed.

_“Fuck yes. Fuck me.”_

“You’re still sure that you want me to bite you…?”

 _“Fuck it- **yes**!_” Yuri pushes his ass into Otabek’s front, making them both hiss. He takes Yuri’s hips and keeps them still as he watches himself line up and disappear into slick heat. Yuri keens into the pillows, gripping them so hard, he might have ripped them. Otabek thrusts once to make sure he’s got a good angle and then again. Yuri’s noises encouraged him,

He drove deeper and just as it was getting to where he couldn’t pull out anymore, he leaned over and sunk his teeth into Yuri’s neck. Yuri convulsed around him, screaming. There was a spark in his head, something worming its way in there. He tried shaking it away, but it just flickered in his brain as his teeth dulled to normal again. Yuri had stilled, purring into the bedding for a moment while they both caught their breath. It didn’t last long though. There was an itch under his skin and Yuri squirmed under him, getting restless.

They shifted around, nerve endings getting in a frenzy. Yuri yanked him close as quickly as Otabek could get there, both of them making some kind of sound as he sank back in. How he was hard again he had no idea. He was pretty sure fast recovery times only happened in heat and rut yet here he was, rocking into Yuri like he just hadn’t been twenty minutes ago. Yuri keened and whined under him, his canines growing just a little bit sharper.

His knot swelled again, faster this time and Yuri’s little sharp teeth pierced his skin. The Omega growled a little, shaking his head to get a good deep mark before pulling away and licking it clean. The link between them continued to get stronger, bit by bit. Every new little thing had Otabek wonder how it was possible, how it was possible to be _that_ close to somebody.

And then there was fire in his veins.

It felt like rut but it wasn’t.

He was too aware for it to be, but the itching under his skin felt the same.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Yuri gasped, “I’m not due for a heat yet.”

“You too?”

Yuri squints at him, the green looking a little hazy, “Rut?”

“Something like it at least.”

“I don’t remember this being a part of bonding.”

“Maybe… is it a soulmate thing?”

“Whatever it is, it _sucks_ ,” Yuri banged his head back on the pillows, dyed-brown hair floofing around him. There was a deep flush down his chest and his breathing was a little irregular. Otabek felt like his own heart was going to jump right out of his chest while the rest of his insides roasted him from the inside out. All he wanted was to be back inside Yuri again and Yuri seemed to agree.


	22. Chapter 22

He doesn’t remember much of the next day and half other than the copious amount of sex and, if the fog faded long enough, getting up a couple of times the get them both a drink from the pitcher though that didn’t last through the first night. He finally manages to crawl out of bed and throw the balcony doors open to air the room out. It’s absolutely frigid outside and he rushes back, pausing long enough to grab the couple of furs he had stashed in the closet, before diving back under the blankets and cuddle with Yuri. The fire’s long gone out and Yuri shivers violently. He keeps the Omega as under him as he can get without crushing him. The furs help some but it’s still not pleasant. Yuri doesn’t complain more than his occasionally chattering teeth.

About an hour later he feels confident enough that he can leave and close the doors. He starts up the fire though that takes some effort and Yuri eventually gets up to help get the rocks to spark enough to catch the kindling on fire. They sit there as Otabek feeds the flames, slowly building it up. The room swarms again and he dresses to leave and grab some water from the kitchen. Any food left out is probably gone by now but breakfast will be served in a few hours so he’s not too worried about it. Yuri drinks half the pitcher and then flops back in bed. Otabek stokes the fire and adds more fuel to it before undressing and climbing in after him, his hips already starting to get stiff and everything else sore. He wraps Yuri up tight and falls back asleep, his nose buried in hair.

Several hours later, there’s a loud banging and Sebastian’s voice stating that he’s coming in regardless of dress. Otabek yanks pants on, but Yuri seems content to stay in bed. To be fair, he looks adorable wrapped up in the blueish-silver striped pelt of some large jungle cat from the south of the continent.

Sebastian sweeps in, food tray in hand, and closes the door before breathing and making a face, “Fucking hell…”

“Still that bad?” Otabek asked as he poked at the dying embers.

“I suppose not as a general thing but for you, yes, it’s terrible,” he set the tray down and Otabek relocated it to the bed for Yuri to pick off of, “though, to be fair, Tetsuro and Kenma were far worse.”

“Worse?”

“Yes. Kenma’s bondheat didn’t hit right away because he was sick. Apparently since he’s better, everything caught up with him. It hit him the night Mari showed up. They just finished yesterday.”

“Oh.”

“So you’ve gone and done it,” Sebastian stared a little at the healing scab on Otabek’s neck, “I’m sure you’re aware, but I wouldn’t show that around just yet.”

“I wasn’t exactly planning on it yet but why?”

“The Palace is antsy.”

“Ansty…?”

“Guest quarters are being readied. The servants are nervous. I’ve seen at least two food deliveries in the last day.”

Otabek’s brows furrowed, “That seems a little excessive for my birthday.”

Sebastian gave him a ‘duh’ look, “I would assume the guests coming would have something to do with that.”

Otabek shot him a look, “ _Clearly_. But we don't know who it is?”

Sebastian shook his head, looking somewhere between annoyed and pissed, “The ones that would talk have no idea and the ones that do know are steel traps.”

“What does that mean?” Yuri asked from the bed, “Someone’s coming and we have no idea who?”

Sebastian shook his head, “No.”

“There’s no way to narrow it down?”

“There’s ways,” Otabek replied, “but we wouldn't be able to narrow it enough to be worth the effort.”

“Would it be for your birthday or something else?”

“Like what?”

Yuri shrugged, “I dunno… Treaty signing? Wedding. It could be something to do with a new alliance.”

Otabek shook his head, “Nothing like that has come up in the meetings.”

Sebastian’s nose scrunched, making him look constipated, “I wonder if this is **that** thing. That secret they’ve been keeping…?”

 _Shit_.

“We have no idea what that is, do we?”

“No. They’ve been masterful at keeping us in the dark.”

“Does Tetsuro or Kenma have any idea?”

“We don’t have enough information. The Omega’s been thinking on it since yesterday but there’s too much missing.”

“He hasn’t left the room?” Yuri asked.

“Not really. They’ve started taking short walks and Tetsuro took him to eat in the Hall for dinner last night but that’s about all he can do.”

“Maybe it’s Mari,” Otabek suggested though, deep down, he had a feeling wasn’t it, “She came home with a lady. Maybe… maybe it’s a late wedding?”

Sebastian was equally unconvinced, “I don’t think your sister cares enough. If she did, she would’ve sent a note… and before you say that she could have and we didn’t know about it, you know her mother would have made a big deal about it.”

Yea… she would have.

“Then what…”

“We’ll know soon enough,” Sebastian replied unhelpfully, “Until then, we try to figure it out.”

Yuri sits up, fur mostly slipping off into the pile around him but he doesn't seem to notice, “Who’s the surprise thing for?”

Sebastian didn’t even slightly blush, “Not entirely sure but apparently it was discussed at the one meeting Otabek wasn’t around for.”

“The morning we can in?”

“Mhm.”

“So everybody but him knows about it…?” he glanced at Otabek who’d picked the fur up and wrapped it around his shoulders again.

“Or at least the people important enough to know, know.”

“Which doesn't make me feel any better,” he added.

“And they won’t tell you?”

“No,”

“That’s weird,” Yuri’s brows furrowed as he stared into middle-space, “I wonder what they would’ve been ok with you knowing at one point but not after…”

“It could just be Father being petty,” Otabek attempted to verbally shrug and went to stare out the window in an attempt to think, “He gets like that sometimes.”

“Nothing to this extent though,” Sebastian replied, “and not for this long.”

“Maybe I should snoop around-”

“You will do no such thing!” Otabek snapped as he spun around, growling a little without meaning to. The sudden surge of protectiveness was… startling.

Yuri’s eyes widened a little though he didn’t seem particularly scared, “I have to get out of these rooms eventually…”

“Not yet,” he tried to calm down, “I have to… figure something out.”

“You know everything-”

“And that’s why I have to figure it out…! I have to protect you.”

“I’ve protected myself just fine.”

“Out there maybe…” he stared at the dyed-brunette, “How long has it been since you’ve been in _this_ territory…. Palace life is very different and, I’m guessing… you haven’t lived it for awhile…” Yuri’s lips pursed. “Let me? I know this terrain. I’ve lived it for nearly twenty-two years. I’ve lived _**this**_ for nearly twenty-two years. I know what makes them tick. Let me figure out how to keep you safe here before I let you out…?”

Yuri wasn’t happy but he nodded anyway.

The bond hummed a little bit, something he’d have to get used to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going out of town this weekend and don't know if I'll have time to write the the next update in two days as usual or if it'll be like five and after I get back.


	23. Chapter 23

When Yuri sees Kenma for the first time in a few days later that afternoon, he’s a little astonished to see how good the other Omega looks. Kenma’s got a little color in his face and his eyes are clear, closer to the cunning observer that Yuri’s grown up with, used to seeing. He hadn’t realized just how long Kenma had suffered until he saw the eyes again… He hadn’t seen them like this for nearly _a year_.

Apparently the bedheaded Alpha is good for him.

“I’m sure we know something’s going on in the palace,” the Omega says as he slowly sinks to the floor near the fire. Tetsuro follows him down, resting his weight on the arm he has on the floor behind Kenma. “The problem is we don’t know what and I haven’t been able to see or hear enough to make much sense of it.”

“Is there anything, besides the rooms being readied and the extra food deliveries, that you’ve found out?” Yuri asks from under his blue tiger fur.

“The seamstresses are frazzled,” he replied, leaning against Tetsuro, “I overheard triplets complaining about how much their mother’s been working about little time she’s had for them in the last week or so.”

“Triplets…? The only triplets I know are the Nishigori kids.”

“Is the Mrs. a seamstress?”

Otabek nodded, “She usually worked for my mother.”

 _Worked_ …

Past tense…

Yuri had wondered about that… He wasn’t sure if the tense of the word gave him his answer or if they’d just stopped working together… but the lack of mentioning his dam and the wordage made it sound like the woman was dead. “Who does-”

The knocking on the door was sudden and abrupt and most everybody jolted a little.

Sebastian opens the door just enough to peek at whoever it was, “What.”

_“The Prince is required downstairs in full regalia.”_

“When?”

“ _Now_.”

Sebastian closes the door in the servant’s face, “You heard the lady. We’re about to see what the fuck is going on.”

[][][][][][][][][][]

He’s incredibly confused when he’s ushered down to the courtyard. The available family is down there, also in full regalia. Most of them either give him blank stares or pity looks.

Kenma’s suggestion to simply go with it since they had no idea what to expect didn’t sit well with him. He wasn’t sure what his father had planned, but to just go with it seemed… like a bad idea. Yuri seemed fine with the idea though, seeming confident that, once they knew what they were going up against, that they’d come up with something to combat it if it was, in fact, something to fight against.

He’s thinking that it’s something to fight against.

The royal party that rides up is unexpected. He sort of recognizes the Rokaen king, a small, surly Alpha by the name of Rhee Na Gil. Behind and to the side of him is a veiled individual. Otabek’s instincts prickle… feel delayed, like he knows, deep down, what’s going on, but he’s having a mental block.

It’s really only as they both dismount, small tinny sounds of small bells making Otabek’s ears itch, and the kings speak to each other that he gets an _inkling_ of what’s going on. The tiny bells sewn into the hem of the veil and the lightest lavender shade he’d ever seen felt vaguely familiar… like he’d read about it in his lessons somewhere. He just couldn’t quite put his finger on it… feels like he doesn’t _really_ want to remember.

Why is Rokae here?

The foreign king was wearing a much deeper purple. Golden embroidered Rokaen lettering and vines twisting around the hems of the traditional robes. Otabek couldn’t quite pick out enough of them to figure out if they meant something in particular or not and the wording he and his father are using is too proper for him to keep up with. There’s something that might be a name and the veiled one bows to him, setting off the bells again, and a hard nudge has Otabek doing the same out of reflex. When he looks up, into the face in front of him, all he really sees are the dark spots that would be the eyes and a line towards the top that would probably be hair. He gets nothing else about the figure. Even the faint Omegan scent is just… _there_ , a vague swirl of flowers that would do nothing for Otabek even if he was still an unbonded Alpha. There’s no hint of anything in it, no emotion at all. It’s as if the Omega is completely neutral to this whole thing.

Which is hard to believe.

The two families separate, Yuuri going with the guests to show where they’re supposed to go. Otabek gets dragged behind his father to the temple and that feeling his hackles have trying to tell him hits him full force. He digs his heels in, but the guards just use their height against him and pick him up.

“Put me down you-!”

“Be silent!” his father barked.

Otabek quiets for a moment, long enough to come up with something of a plan to get out of this.

Because he can’t go through with this.

He’s bonded… _to Yuri._

Sure his father has multiple partners… but he only has one wife…

And Otabek has a feeling that whatever treaty he’s supposed to be the sacrifice for requires whoever was under that veil to his _wife_ … or mate in general. It was hard to tell, but something about the figure was masculine. That could have simply been because they were of similar height though.

The guards finally put him down once they’d reached the chamber that houses a groom before a wedding. Everything he’d been trying to block out hit him at once. The lavender and the bells… Rokaen brides weren’t seen before the wedding. The bells gave away where they were at any given time. Lavender was the color of purity in Rokae and the Omega wasn't allowed to take the veil off until after the vows. Otabek would only see their face after they’d been wed.

If he let it get that far.

“What is the meaning of this? Who was that?”

“Your mate in about fifteen minutes,” his father replied, sounding unbothered.

“You can’t just-!”

“If you hadn’t skipped a meeting, like you were supposed to, you would have known that Seung Gil was coming. You’d know that I have finally worn that old man down enough to come to a trade agreement that allows us almost unfettered export to his country and that our houses are uniting with the marriage of our bastard sons.”

“I think I should have been told whether or not I missed the damned meeting-”

“Language in front of your king!”

“I am not prepared for this.”

Fathers eyes flashed, “It is your duty as my son-”

Otabek met his head on, “I am not the only prince.”

“We are in talks with a bride for Jean and I **will not** give a **bastard** to Chikara.”

He was running out of cards to play, “I don’t want to marry him. I refuse to-”

“You **will** marry him and you will be silent about it.”

_Yuri… He’s Yuri’s…_

“Give him to someone else.”

Father leveled him a spine chilling stare, the kind reserved for people he saw as bugs not good enough to be squashed under his shoe, “Otabek. You will marry him… and you know why…?” Otabek didn’t like the tone of voice. It sounded like nails on a coffin, “Should you refuse, you will be stripped of your name and rank,” Father’s teeth flashed, “You will be gelded and sent to the north. **I will not tolerate embarrassment.** ” he stepped into Otabek’s space, making sure to stifle him with his scent and Otabek had to lower his eyes under the onslaught, “You may my son, but you are a _bastard_. You are a political tool for me to do with as I please. You _exist_ to **serve** me and you will **do as you’re told** … Should you not, you’re well aware of the consequences. I will not house things _useless_ to me,” he took a step back, “The ceremony starts in three minutes. I geld you in five.” and he left him there with that.

 _Yuri_ …

He could go in there and show his bond bite.

But… that would reveal Yuri to his father.

His father who’d already sent men to kill him once.

Otabek was sure his father would have no issues about killing him for good this time… and using Otabek’s sanity to keep Yuri alive wouldn’t matter since he’d made it perfectly clear that if Otabek didn’t tow the line, he’d be tossed aside like a lame horse.

_Yuri…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun-Dun-Daaaaaaaan XD


	24. Chapter 24

He should run.

Otabek should take those few minutes he had and run.

He might be able to make it out of the gates before they come looking for him.

But that might make his father go and interrogate Sebastian and Tetsuro… which would lead him to Yuri when they went to search his room.

Yuri would die.

He could possibly make a scene during the ceremony… appeal to his siblings and try to convince them to take his side. They wouldn’t be able to though. The only ones to truly avoid Father’s political plans were Tooru, because soulmate, and Mari, whose battlefield prowess out measured her apparent political use. The rest were all a part of Father’s scheme to collect as many foreign spouses as possible.

And Otabek was being sacrificed to keep Rokae under heel.

He couldn’t see a way out of it.

He didn’t have enough time to think or move… He’d already used up at least a minute of his time, leaving him with realistically three and that wasn’t enough time to do anything that could realistically get him out of this. The gates were too far and the guards were probably under orders to keep him inside anyway.

 _Yuri_ …

He squared his shoulders.

He was already bonded so the worst that would happen was a legal marriage and a bite to claim the Omega as his like Father had done to his mother. The Rokaen Omega, Seung Gil if he remembered correctly, would simply become a partner. He hated it… hated the idea… but he’d have time to deal with that later.

Otabek swallowed, sent a silent apology to Yuri, and swung the doors open. His father didn’t exactly look pleased that he’d taken so long but there was nothing he could do. Otabek avoided looking at his siblings, not exactly wanting to see how many of them pitied him. The veiled Seung Gil was already kneeling on the pillows in front of the priest who was also covered head to toe under a black veil, this one embroidered with red lotus blossoms.

He approached and slowly lowered himself to mirror the Omega. The priest started with some prayers to the goddess of hearth for a fulfilling marriage and to look over them and their offspring and Otabek tuned him out after awhile. A goblet of fermented juice made from specific berries up in the mountains was poured and waved around in the air to gather whatever good vibes the deities were showering down on them before lowering and being offered to him first. He hesitantly took a sip and Seung Gil moved enough to allow the goblet to slip under his veil so he could sip it too. The bells jingled a little as he moved. A rope was revealed, dyed green for fertility. It was wrapped around his right wrist and Seung Gil revealed his left hand from under the veil so it could be tied to him.

It would stay there for the rest of the night.

The ceremony ended with a song from the priest as Otabek slowly stood and helped Seung Gil up and then out of the temple. Neither said a word as he led the way to the banquet hall. The Omega’s scent was just as unbothered as it’d been when they’d met. They paused outside the hall, waiting for the rest of the royal parties to arrive and go on ahead of them. He supposed most would take the time to sneak kisses or something but he doubted that would happen.

The bells jingle as Seung Gil yanked the veil off. He held it for a moment and then let it drop to the floor, unconcerned about whether it’d get ruined or not. He didn’t even look at Otabek, instead glancing out over the railing to the foliage below. “Well.. that’s done.”

His voice isn’t exactly what Otabek expected… but it wasn’t instantly revolting, “Mm.”

“You weren’t expecting me,” there’s an accent, heavy but not hard to listen to.

“I wasn’t.”

“Why. This has been arranged for a month.”

Otabek didn’t have a good response for that… or rather the one he had would implicate his father and that wouldn’t go over well.

So he said nothing.

They are announced to the crowd gathered and he leads Seung Gil down to the center of the hall where there’s free floor space, “Do you know the Seikonmei?”

“What do you think I’ve spent the last month doing.”

By now the instruments have started playing some ages old song that’s been used for generations to signify two souls becoming one. If he were dancing this with Yuri, it might mean something… but he’s not. He’s dancing the Seikonmei with a stranger whose wrist is tied to his.

A stranger who’s most definitely **not** his soulmate.

“You should smile,” Seung Gil comments as they drift around the space.

“Why.”

“They’ll think there’s something wrong if you don't.”

“You can’t tell me that you're _happy_ with this.”

“Doesn’t matter if I am or not,” Seung Gil replied.

“Then why-”

“Just smile and let them think they’ve won for tonight. Alright,” dark grey eyes meet his, _really_ meet his for the first time. They’re dark grey, intense, almost harsh. He’s not particularly hard to look at with his very pale skin shades lighter than Otabek’s and black hair that’s almost shaggy but he’s definitely not Yuri. The faint smile he forces is cutting, sharp as a knife, and Otabek feels as though he's being subtly mocked. They dance around, spinning a little as the song dictates. The hand movements that are supposed to be playful, teasing gestures of longing as fingers brush along palms, are performed with an almost surgical preciseness as they move around each other. They join hands again to finish the last third of the song.

“You have your own Omega don’t you…” Seung Gil comments as he leans into Otabek’s space, “You’re not as touch-pure as they said you were.”

“Oh.”

“You’re much too confident about touching me. Your hesitancy isn’t from nerves but because you simply don’t want to. Your scent has been carefully neutral this entire event.”

Otabek pulled him closer, “Let me make my own observation,” Seung Gil just seemed vaguely amused, “Your scent has not faltered once.”

“Incredible control, isn’t it?”

“I’ll wager it isn’t even yours.”

“Oh?-”

“It’s fading. You smell more like me than you do yourself.”

“We _have_ been together for most of the-”

Otabek grazed the Omega’s ear with his lips, “The only way to take over a scent like that is if we’ve been _fucking_.”

The inhale near his throat was subtle, “That’s a lovely fragrance… not what I’d expect from an Alpha… I wasn’t aware that citrus was in your family’s scent profile.”

Otabek leaned back and met Seung Gil’s gaze head on.

They seem to come to an understanding then.

Neither were who their parents claimed them to be.

Neither would call the other out on it…

At least not yet.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentines!!! Have whatever this mess is XD

Touching Seung Gil is… nothing special…

Not really.

He’d expected it to be more than it was and was left, to be perfectly honest, a little disappointed.

Maybe because touching Yuri had been so world shattering, he’d expected **more**.

Maybe _because_ touching Yuri had been so world shattering, anyone else would seem… almost inadequate in comparison.

Whatever it was, he only realized he’d been touching Seung GIl’s bare hand the entire time when the song ended and tradition dictated that he kiss the back of it. He’d been met with bare skin instead of a glove and he wasn’t sure how he’d missed it. The nails had been done up, painted a lavender and dusted with something gold. It was… interesting for sure.

Very _Rokaen_.

Seung Gil had blushed… sort of… and let Otabek lead him to the low table meant for them. He glanced at his siblings as they went. Most of them seemed a bit subdued, most them being sacrificial lambs themselves even if they’d managed to scrape something resembling happiness with their assigned spouse. Wenli stared holes at him and Otabek could only assume it had something to do with their conversation and his few days disappearance right after.

Mari… Mari wasn’t happy and she didn’t bother hiding it.

The glass carafe near her was already half empty… and Yuuri didn’t drink during these kinds of things.

Otabek lowered Seung Gil to the cushions and then sank down himself. He picked up an oyster from the elegantly stacked pile on their table and offered it to the Omega, sliding it into his mouth before tossing one back himself. He swallowed it fine but almost snorted at how Seung Gil was trying _very_ hard not to show he was grossed out. The feast started in earnest and Seung Gil managed to spit it into his hand and get rid of it while nobody was paying them much attention. He shuddered, grabbing his cinnamon infused wine and taking a long sip of it.

“Not to your liking?” Otabek asked as he tipped another one.

“Ancients no,” Seung Gil’s face twitched and he reached for the plate of thinly sliced beef, taking delicate bites of it, but eating most of it between sips of wine. Otabek worked through the rest of it despite knowing the reasoning behind the choices. He supposed he’d need some help if he was supposed to fuck this Omega.

He still might not.

But he _had_ to, he’d need all the help he could get.

The mood around the hall was stifling. The forced joviality was hard to watch. Half of his siblings ended up some sort of drunk or at least tipsy. Even Yuuri had given up and had drunk at least one glass.

Otabek and Seung Gil were eventually ‘excused for the evening’ and excused. They left the hall, hands clasped together though that was dropped as soon as they were far enough away. He couldn’t make himself even care about the maids’ gossip if they were caught walking with the five feet of space between them like they were.

He led Seung Gil to his rooms where he expected to be greeted by a seething Yuri.

What he’s met with instead is chilling.

Yuri’s sitting there on their bed, looking mostly unperturbed. He spots them, waits for them to close the door. Once that’s done, he slowly stands and makes his way for the fire.

“Yura…?”

“I’d like to be more angry… but you didn’t expect this either,” the dyed brunette said.

“I didn’t… I swear,” he started for Yuri.

The Omega looked over at him… and then over his shoulder, “And who the fuck are you.”

“I should ask you that,” Seung Gil replied, “Seeing as _you_ are the one in my husband’s rooms where you don’t have a right to be,” he paused right next to Otabek, “but I suppose I _already_ know who you are…”

Yuri’s brows arched, green eyes gleamed, “ _ **Oh**_ …?”

“You’re why he’s not touch pure anymore. I’d wager that you’ve claimed him too,” fingers yanked on his collar to show the healing bitemark, “As I thought,” and he walked away, “Good to know I’m already the second choice in this hours old relationship.”

“I’d call you more of a home wrecker but whatever I guess,” Yuri snarked.

Seung Gil tosses a mild glare over his shoulder, “Of the two of us, who’s _legally_ married to him.”

“ _Of the two of us_ ,” Yuri’s tone is childish at best, “Excuse you, but who’s _teeth marks_ are on him? Pretty sure that overrides any sort of paper bullshit, you fake!”

Otabek perked up at that.

Seung Gil heaved a sigh, “A fake you say?”

Yuri snorted, “I’ve been around whores enough to know when a Beta fakes it,” he glanced at Otabek, “Did you know Betas can spray scents on themselves to seem more Alpha or more Omega?”

Otabek stared at Seung Gil.

He’d _thought_ the scent had been off…

Seung Gil gave half a razor-sharp smirk, “You’re right… I’m a Beta.”

Otabek crossed his arms, “And what would you have done if I’d figured that out and actually _wanted_ a mate. The treaty would be voided.”

“Not if I’d managed to get you to bite me first,” Seung Gil smirked a little wider, “As it is, you still do, but I don’t have to bite you. You can even wear your little Omega’s mark without fear if you want to.”

Otabek narrowed his eyes, “You won’t use that against me later?”

“There’s not much to verify it one way or the other…” Seung Gil replied, “As long as I smell like you and have a bite, that’s all they need right? And, in any case, an Omega’s bite will keep the illusion that I’m an Omega quite well,” the smirk got vicious, “Just be glad we got married in your country and not mine.”

“Why does that matter?” Yuri asked.

“In Rokae, consummation of the marriage and the bite of a royal is to be observed by the advisors to ensure that it’s been done, that it’s not been faked.”

Yuri’s eyes bugged, “They watch you fuck!”

Otabek wasn’t sure how much redder his face could get before he had an aneurysm.

“To be blunt about it… yes,” Seung didn’t seem concerned, “My brother’s consummation was nearly a disaster. Something to do with his rut the healers said. I think it was because he was just shy.”

“Why are you playing nice?” Otabek asked, “You could go and tell them about him right now and it’d all be voided out.”

“Because,” Seung Gil sighed, “That, like me being a Beta, would cause the treaty to be voided and our countries to quite possibly go to war. _I_ might be a prisoner of said war and I don’t fancy that… So… by pretending with you that this marriage isn’t the _complete sham_ that it is, I get to live in luxury as I’m accustomed to… and I’m out from under my father. It’s all very win-win for me,” he stretched, arching his back, “Just let me join you two sometimes. I don’t have the biggest sex drive but sometimes I do get the itch and you’re both attractive enough… well-” he eyed Yuri, “I’ve never been big on Omegas but that’s whatever.”

Yuri sneered, “Too much work for you…?”

“You smell,” Seung Gil deadpanned and pitched the bridge of his nose like he had an oncoming migraine, “Omega scents in general tend to give me a headache.”

“ _Aw_.”

“You should be nice to me,” Seung Gil commented, “If I timed things just right, I _could_ carry his heir.”

“Like I’d let you anywhere near him during his rut,” Yuri sneered.

“Wait what?” Otabek creased his brows, “Male Betas can’t-”

“‘ _Male Betas can’t have pups_ ’,” Yuri quoted, “As a rule, yes.”

“So then…”

“Some male Betas, **only** if knotted during an Alpha’s rut, can bear pups,” Seung Gil studied his nails, “Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, it's a bitch to deal with as a Beta since our bodies aren't exactly _meant_ for taking knots and one doesn’t know if he can or not until it _does_ happen so it's oftentimes not worth the trouble… but, as we said… it’s rare, so I wouldn’t worry about it… I don't like pain and he won’t let me near your rut anyway,” his smile is poisonous.

“Damn straight I won’t.”


	26. Chapter 26

Yuri’s not entirely sure how he feels about the procession that shows up at the Palace. He doesn’t exactly recognize the banners or the colors. Kenma does though and as soon as he’s said ‘bridal’ Yuri feels his everything sink. There’s a twinge in the fledgling bond as he watches Otabek get literally carried away by a couple of beefy guards. Sebastian growls and Tetsuro has to remind him that they’re the Emperor’s guards, that they’re not able to do anything.

 _“What the fuck is he doing_?” the larger Alpha is very much not happy.

“Otabek or His Excellency?”

There’s no answer.

Yuri… Yuri wishes for something… but he’s not sure what.

It’s clear that Otabek is being arranged into a marriage he had no clue about so it’s not his fault. He can’t be angry at the bride either… They would have no way of knowing Otabek was spoken for. The same could probably be said for the damn Emperor…

Though he _**should have**_ said something to Otabek about it.

To just thrust this on your child at the literal last minute is just…

Yuri’s angry.

Tetsuro offers to go to the banquet to see what he can glean but Yuri shakes his head, “Does it matter? Will that change anything?”

“No,” Tetsuro shrugs.

“Then what’s the point? He’s getting married and we have to figure out how we're going to deal with it,” he wanders the opposite direction of the hall, feels Kenma close and the brothers behind them, “The bride is Rokaen right?”

“Mm,” Kenma hums.

“Do we know anything about their family? How many kids?”

“I don’t know… but I do know that, of what they have, most of them are Betas.”

Yuri pauses, “ _Really_?”

“The heir is the only Alpha. Unless my memory or sources are incorrect, i believe the rest are Beta… but I don’t remember how many there are.”

“Hm… would they try to pass a Beta off as an Omega? Would the Emperor agree to a Beta marriage?”

“No,” Sebastian replied, “Every one of the arranged marriages have been Alpha or Omegas from different realms… He’s a purist, set in the old ways.”

“‘ _Betas weaken the line’_ ,” Yuri quoted, “So he’s arranged for an Omega bride, but Rokaen doesn’t have one so they’re faking…”

“It would seem like it,” Sebastian nodded, his huge-ass self hiding Yuri from some passing maids, “I couldn’t hazard a guess as to why they would try though.”

“Prestige maybe,” Tetsuro offered, “If you’re one of the last few counties on this side of the river to have an alliance with us, wouldn’t you try whatever to seal a spot for yourself.”

“I suppose,” Sebastian conceded, “The alliances could be seen as a gathering of armies, take out the ones that aren’t aligned… combine everything this side of the river and then go for an invasion.”

“Do you really think he’s planning something like that?” Kenma asked.

Sebastian shrugged, “It’s possible.”

“It’s just as likely that he wants the alliances to avoid war. If he has most of the continent aligned with him, the rest won’t try anything because he knows he has literal armies waiting to back him up.”

“What’s the more likely though?” Kenma asked, “Does he crave power or stability?”

Yuri _felt_ like he knew the answer…

One doesn’t just send soldiers in the middle of the night to assassinate children just to have ‘stability’.

“We need to keep our wits about us. Figure out what we can. Are there siblings we can turn to? Are there ones to avoid? We need to figure out everything… and figure out where this bride fits in.”

Yuri finds himself fairly surprised when Seung Gil, bastard Beta son of the Rokaen king, was more or less… indifferent about the whole thing.

Oh sure he’s a right bitch and trying to stir Yuri up with threats of fucking Otabek during his rut to see if he can get pregnant… but under it, he doesn’t seem to care.

He seems almost… _tired_ …

Yuri’s not sure if he should lower his guard or not, but it seems that, at least for now, Seung Gil won’t pose a threat to them

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:

Otabek regrets the oysters… and the cinnamon-infused wine… and the myriad other aphrodisiacs he’s eaten in the last few hours.

He’s horny and without a way to ease it.

Oh sure he could just fuck Yuri, but Seung Gil’s also in the room and he jut doesn’t feel right doing that.

“Would you mind summoning a bath?” the _Beta_ , not Omega, not so much asks as much as he _demands_.

“A… bath…?”

“Yes you oblivious-” Seung Gil cut himself off and tried again, “Yes. I would like a bath. I smell and, to be perfectly honest, I’d like a good soak.”

Otabek nods and grabs a passing servant, telling them about the requested hot water. It arrives within a reasonable amount of time, Yuri having been shoved into the closet much to his annoyance. Once done, Seung Gil gives a blase wave of the hand and a half assed bow before locking himself in the washroom.

Yuri reappears from the closet, “Well that was nice of him.”

“Huh?”

“Strip and get your naked ass over here so we can fuck while he’s in there,” Yuri yanks his clothes off, letting them drop to the floor.

Otabek feels a little silly… like he should’ve been able to figure this all out on his own. He does as requested and climbs into bed. Yuri’s quieter than he’s been, probably because they can hear the faint splashes in the other room. It is something of a mood killer, but he gets the job done by the time Seung Gil reappears.

“ _Fuckin_ ’...” the Beta exhales sharply out of his nose, “I suppose i’ll have to get used to _that_ ,” he wanders closer, looking maybe a little lost, “Is there a place for me to sleep? Or is it just the couch…?”

“As much as I’d **love** to banish you,” Yuri stretched, “You need to smell like him right?”

“It would be ideal, yes.”

“There’s room enough for three,” Yuri rolls toward the fire, “Just don’t expect cuddles… They’re mine.”

There’s an unfathomable look in Seung Gil’s eyes as he nods and slowly climbs up and on the bed. He settles on Otabek’s other side, the one near the balcony, away from them.

He feels the distance.

He shouldn’t care

His soulmate’s wrapped up tight in his arms, sated and warm.

All’s as it should be.

Except… it’s not.

He’s not sure if he feels the slight shaking or smells the mild scent of salt… but after trying to sleep for the better part of an hour and not finding it, he slowly lets Yuri go and shifts around. Seung Gil’s trying to hide it and is almost successful. He catches the silent sobs though and gently pulls Seung closer to the middle of the bed with them. He rolls back around to cuddle Yuri but presses his back to Seung Gil’s, his leg shifting back to nudge the Beta’s. Seung Gil slowly calms down, slowly relaxes into the blankets. He presses himself closer and then just rolls around to curl into Otabek’s back, his legs tangling with Otabek’s.

He can feel the tears drip down his back.


	27. Chapter 27

The following morning has Seung wrapped around him from behind, legs tangled together. Yuri’s not pleased and almost shoves the Beta away from him, but Otabek kisses him long and slow and Yuri eventually forgets about it enough to let Seung Gil wake up on his own and vacate. Yuri looks vaguely annoyed but not enough to actually _do_ anything.

Sebastian announces himself with food and Kuroo and Kenma both arrive a minute later. Seung Gil’s less than pleased with the company, staying just behind Otabek the entire time the six of them eat. Otabek passes him food and a cup of tea with a surprising amount of sugar in it. Kenma’s the only one to seem interested in the Beta though he doesn’t say anything.

“So… what are we doing for the next like two days…?” Yuri asked at length.

Otabek’s brows crease, “What do you-... oh…”

If Seung was really an Omega he’d go into a bond heat.

“Is that for just regular bonds though…?” he wondered out loud, “The only ones I remember is ours and Tetsuro’s and they were both…” he glances at said Alpha who just shrugs.

_Soulmate bonds._

Did it matter…?

“I don’t fuckin’ know,” Yuri groused, looking put out. Otabek pulls him close, wrapping himself around Yuri like a blanket.

“An Omega will still have some sort of heat,” Sebastian replied, “though it’d only be a day or so.”

“I’m not an Omega,” Seung Gil said.

There was an abrupt but brief silence.

“Oh,” Sebastian seemed to think about that, “I don’t think anything happens then…”

“We’re playing him off as an Omega,” Otabek said, “As per the treaty or whatever our fathers have agreed to.”

“But… if he’s not an Omega…” Sebastian said slowly, eyes narrowing.

“If I’m not an Omega, the agreement is nulled and our countries could go to war,” Seung Gil took a sip of tea, sounding very _done_ , “I become a prisoner of war and end up in the cells. Prince Otabek is keeping my secret in exchange for me keeping his: that he’s mated already and thus nulling the agreement.”

“I see.”

“Well that complicates things,” Tetsuro commented, “Though I suppose you don’t have to hide your bite now, so that’s good.”

“I suppose,” he agreed.

“He hasn’t bitten you yet?” Sebastian asked, staring at Seung Gil.

It took him a moment to realize that he was being talked to, “Oh… No.”

“Yuri can come with me for awhile,” Kenma said, giving the other Omega a meaningful look. Yuri didn’t look happy. Seung Gil didn’t either.

Otabek couldn’t find it in him to care.

Maybe he should…

It wasn’t Seung Gil’s fault he was here, tied to him.

It also wasn’t Otabek’s fault that he’d found his soulmate and honestly couldn’t give two shits about Seung Gil.

Except that he knew that wasn’t totally true either.

He didn’t _care_ for Seung Gil but…

There was something… maybe pity…

Otabek finally sighed, “Do we really have to…?”

“We have to,” Seung Gil said, not sounding happy about it, “Without a bite, they’ll know something’s up.”

“Do we have to have... _sex_ though?” he could feel himself flush a little.

“Without sex, it _**hurts**_ … I mean it’s going hurt either way since I‘m a Beta you’re not my soulmate and that does something to make it nice _I guess_ ,” Seung Gil looks less than enthused. Otabek has no idea how he doesn’t seem even remotely uncomfortable about talking about this with company around, “Of course there’s also the issue of having it fade.”

“Because you’re not biting me back.”

Seung Gil offered a sarcastic grin, “Correct.”

“What if we just had an unbonded Alpha bite you?” Yuri suggested, “You could bite him back and it’d stick.”

“Yes. There’s an idea,” Seung Gil rolled his eyes, “We’ll find some random Alpha willing to give up a proper mating just so we can continue this sham. Tell me, where will we find one?”

“Sebastian might,” Yuri shrugged.

Said Alpha didn’t say a word.

Otabek’s brows dipped, “I can’t ask him for something like that. This is permanent.”

“You’re right,” Seung Gil, replied, “We’ll just permanently bite me over and over again, every two weeks till the end of time.”

That left an awkward silence.

“Let’s go,” Sebastian cleared the room, Yuri throwing something on and following Kenma to do whatever. The door closed, leaving Otabek and Seung Gil alone. One could slice the tension with a knife.

Otabek stood, “We’ll do this now and figure something else out later.”

Seung Gil didn’t look happy with that plan but nodded anyway, “So we’re going to…” and started to walk away.

Otabek grabbed his arm, “I’m sorry this isn’t what you want. I’m trying to make it as good as I can.”

“If that’s true, you wouldn’t have mated him.”

“I didn’t know you were coming until you were here,” Otabek replied, “Seung… He’s my soulmate.”

The Beta’s shoulders sagged at that, “So I have no chance then.”

Otabek hesitated, “... No… I’m sorry.”

Seung Gil snorts, “Why? It doesn’t affect you. You already have everybody wants. You found your other half so it doesn’t matter.”

“It does.”

“ _It doesn’t_ ,” the Beta snarled, grey eyes starting to swim, “It doesn’t…” he sniffed harshly, “So let’s get on with it.”


	28. Chapter 28

He’d tried.

He really had.

They _both_ had.

Seung Gil stripped and waited for Otabek to join him. They’d stared at each other and at nothing for awhile, the awkward tension building to a fever pitch before Seung Gil took the initiative and yanked Otabek into a kiss. Otabek hadn’t expected that but rolled with it, letting Seung Gil do what he needed to to get into it.

Unfortunately that went nowhere.

Seung Gil eventually pulled away and just flopped back on the pillows, “Where’s the oil?”

“Oil?”

“Yes… the oil… I’m a Beta, you fu-” his face twitched, “I don’t slick up on my own.”

 _Right_ …

Otabek flounders for awhile until he finds the bath oil. Seung Gil laid back, leaving everything to him. Otabek fumbled a little since Yuri hadn’t needed as much prep, but he fingered it out. The only problem now was…

Neither of them were into it.

At all.

He leaned forward, kissing Seung Gil to try and get some kind of response from _either_ of them… and nothing.

“This is stupid,” Seung Gil huffed and twisted away from Otabek’s fingers, “Just bite me.”

“But… that’s going to hurt…”

“Yea well we don't have much choice do we?” Seung Gil sort of glared at him, “You’ve been fingering me and we’re both still _very_ limp. We’re not doing this so bite me and get it over with.” He tilts his head, baring his neck.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I know,” Seung Gil replied, “So I know you won’t make it worse than it needs to be.”

Otabek cups his face, pressing his lips to Seung Gil’s in a last ditch attempt to make it, at least, somewhat pleasurable for him. His Alpha wasn’t happy, _hadn’t been_ happy for the last hour. He ignored the internal writhing as he’d been doing, kissing down Seung Gil’s face and down his neck where he mouths the skin. The Beta shivers a little, clutching his arms. Otabek grips a fistful of hair and wraps his other arm Seung Gil, holding him tight.

“I’m sorry.”

He bites down, clamping his jaw enough to break skin and get to where he needs to. Seung Gil choked on a scream as he tried to push him away. Otabek held him tight to keep him from ripping away and making it worse. Once it was enough, he loosened his grip a little and licked at the wound, cleaning it up. Seung Gil stopped actively fighting him, instead just holding on for dear life. Quiet sobs filling the space between them. Otabek tries to soothe him the best he can and Seung Gil slowly calms down. Otabek slides out of bed and grabs both robes and himself a book. Seung Gil’s poured himself a glass of water and sits there sipping it. He’s still in pain which is a little worrying. Otabek doesn’t know if it’s because he’s not a soulmate or an Omega…

Or if maybe something is, in fact, wrong.

Seung Gil doesn’t _particularly_ look concerned so he decides to leave it for now and gets back into bed. The Beta finishes his water and scoots himself back. He looks a little lost, a little tired. Otabek gently tugs him down and Seung Gil goes with it until his head’s in Otabek’s lap. He rolls around so the bite’s not getting pressed on though the way his face is almost in Otabek's crotch is a little…

Otabek starts reading, absently running a hand through Seung Gil’s hair. The Beta drifts off which helps Otabek feel a little better about the whole thing. He stills feels a bit like a monster especially when he pauses to check on the bite and make sure it’s not bleeding again. It’s not… or at least not oozing. It’s still very red, very fresh… like a single poke would open the whole thing up again.

The door opens again awhile later and Yuri slips in alone. He eyes them, looking rather displeased. “What are you doing?”

“I’m reading…?”

“I see that,” Yuri cocked a hip, “And you know that’s not what I meant.”

Otabek’s lips thinned as he lowered the book, “I…” Seung Gil sniffed in his sleep and nuzzled closer. “I needed to…”

“You needed to…?”

“Biting him was… He was _hurting_ , Yuri. It was so much worse than yours… I think I might actually hate myself for doing that to him.”

“ _What_. Fucking him wasn’t enough.”

“We didn’t. We tried but… it didn’t… Neither of us could… I don’t if it would have helped but…” he shook his head, “He had nothing and he just… took it… I feel so guilty… It’s not even his fault he’s here.”

“No but that doesn’t mean you’re responsible for him either.”

“I feel like I am though…” Otabek replied, “He **is** _technically_ my husband… Even if he’s not my mate-” he looks up at Yuri, “-even if I don’t… care for him… not like I do for you anyway… He’s alone here, Yuri… He doesn’t _have_ anybody else.”

“But does it have to be _you_. You’re mine,” green flashed.

“Are _you_ going to?” Otabek asked and Yuri made a face, “though so.”

Yuri kicked at the floor, “So where does that leave us…?”

“I don’t know.”

“I still have my goal you know. This-” he gestures at Seung Gil, “-changes nothing.”

“I’m aware,” Otabek replied, “I’m trying to figure it all out.”

“I want to see Victor.”

Otabek rubbed his forehead, feeling tired, “I know…”

“Then why-”

“Because I don’t know what he’ll do,” he snapped. Seung Gil snuffled, slowly waking up and he sunk a hand into dark hair, easing the Beta back to sleep.

Yuri’s face tightened, “He’s my brother. He’ll be happy to-”

“I can’t take the chance and just _assume_ he won’t say anything to Yuuri… or to Father,” he glanced at Yuri, “I know he’ll be happy to see you… but I can’t risk him saying something to someone who decidedly **won’t** be pleased to know you’re alive.” Yuri stilled at that. “If Father finds out you’re here, you’re dead. He’s already tried to kill you once, he’ll do it again in a heartbeat. If you’re dead, your people die too and the truth about what happened stays hidden. We need to be patient… and plan… I know you’re eager, but… we have to take our time and get as much information as we can to make the best decisions… Can you trust me?”

Yuri’s face falls a little, “Yea…” and drifts closer, “I’ve… This, being here with Victor and not being able to talk to him is just-”

“Hard. I know. I’m sorry,” he lets go of Seung Gil’s hair and cups Yuri’s face, kissing him, “ _Soon_ …”

“Soon.”

“I love you.”

Yuri snorts, “He says after almost having sex with someone else.”

He presses his forehead against Yuri’s, “It’s _because_ I love you, that I couldn’t.”

“I’m calling bullshit,” Yuri replied though he seems vaguely amused, “It’s fine. You didn't know he was coming… He didn’t know about me. We’re gonna fight over you and that’s just how it’s gonna be. I just hope he doesn’t get in the way of the bigger goal.”

“I won’t,” Otabek’s hand stilled and Seung Gil shifted around, still staring at Yuri, “If something happens to him, I’m fucked. It’s in my best interest to stay a neutral party. Do what you must. I’ll only get in the way if I feel I’m better off doing so… which is, at this point, risk of death or imprisonment. Keep me from either of those and you can do whatever you want.”

Yuri… seems appeased enough. He doesn’t say anything more about it and dinner is peaceful, the six of them getting along well enough. They cuddle up that night, Otabek and Yuri front-to-front. Seung Gil pressed himself to Otabek’s back like the night before. Yuri made a move to shove him away but Otabek caught his wrist and gave him a look. The Omega settles and eventually falls asleep. Seung Gil cries again that night but Otabek doesn’t acknowledge it other than to reach behind him and lay his arm over the Beta until his arm’s asleep and he has to move it again.

The following morning has Otabek and Seung Gil dressed and ready to join the family for breakfast. Neither say much on the walk there though they do walk closer together thought that’s more for the illusion than wanting to. The hall quiets as they walk in. Seung Gil seems to deflate at the lack of his father, but, if Otabek hadn’t been touching him, he wouldn’t have known it. The Beta doesn’t even stop, just heads to the couple of empty spots next to each other and settles into the one next to Jean. Otabek drops next to him and starts grabbing food from the center and giving Seung Gil what he wants.

Koushi grins, “I didn’t really have a chance to welcome you into the family before you were whisked off.”

“Oh,” Seung Gil forced a smile, “Thank you.”

“Was he a gentleman,” Koushi asked, “I’ll kick his ass if he wasn’t.”

“He was fine,” Seung GIl answered.

Koushi and Eita shared a look, “ _Only_ fine…?”

“Would ‘adequate’ be better?’ Seung Gil asked and Otabek gave him a look that was ignored.

Keishin and Hajime both snorted so hard it sounded like it hurt and Daichi blushed a horrendous shade of red.

“ _Really_?” Yuuri wasn’t impressed, “I don’t think that’s proper-”

“Can I ask you a question?” Koushi asked.

“Um sure…-?”

“How bad was it? I’ve heard so many conflicting things about what it's like to be bitten and we're getting married in a few mouths and I _honestly_ just want to know what to expect.”

“Oh um… It was fine? I guess? It hurt some but,” Seung Gil shrugged, “it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.”

Otabek lays a hand on a knee. Seung Gil doesn’t respond to him really though he does shift said knee toward him just a little. No one seems to notice the lie.

Koushi grins, “That’s a relief. I know it won’t be like Tooru, but I was hoping that it wouldn't be terrible.”

“Even if it is, it doesn’t last forever,” Seung Gil replied.

“Also very true.”

“That’s a lovely scent by the way,” Jean commented out of the blue from Seung Gil’s other side. Otabek felt his insides freeze. “Is that… rain? And citrus?”

Victor paused minutely and then focused back on Lev.

“I wasn’t aware that profile was in your family?”

“Isn’t that _abhorrently_ **rude** to ask?” Otabek shot his brother a look.

“I’m merely curious,” Jean defended himself, “I’d heard his scent described as floral but that doesn’t seem to be the case at all and I’m wondering as why.”

“It’s ok,” Seung Gil laid a hand on Otabek’s arm in a way that seemed to play into the whole thing and glanced at Jean, “I was wearing perfume when I arrived. I’d been on the road for _days_ and didn’t have time to prepare myself as I would have liked. I chose to use perfume to, at least, mask the scent of travel and horse.”

“But something so far from your natural-”

“Florals are in my father’s line. I did not inherit it. I chose florals to better fit with them but,” here he tossed Otabek an almost fond look, “It turns out that Ota prefers how I smell naturally.”

Otabek _almost_ believed that Seung Gil was genuinely happy. He offered a small smile in return and brushed the backs of his fingers along a cheek. Seung Gil closed his eyes briefly and leaned closer-

“Great . Now that that’s settled,” Yuuri interrupted.

“Yes,” Otabek turned to him, “Where _is_ Father? Couldn’t be bothered to greet us our first morning out?”

“He’s busy fucking the new concubine,” Keishin replied as he took a drink. Takeda smacked him. “ _What_.”

Takeda just looked at him with his usual weary expression, “Can you not phrase it like that? That’s my father you’re talking about.”

“Sorry,” he addressed the table again, “He’s otherwise occupied making _sweet_ _sweet_ love to the newest member of his harem,” Keishin made a face and half the table burst out laughing. The other half either blushed or were trying very hard not to show they were amused.

“ _Thank you for that_ … Anyway, we have...-” Yuuri looked vaguely annoyed at the fists pounding on the table. Riseki giggled at Hajime as he watched his sire just die. Kosuke jumped and started crying, loud, piercing. Every one of the Omegas paused, on high alert. Seung Gil belatedly followed suit. Takeda shifted the newborn pup around, letting Kosuke nuzzle his scent glade at his throat as he gently shushed him and bounced or rocked a little. The baby settled and fell asleep, prompting the table to stay quiet.

Chikara wiped the last couple of tears from his eyes, “What’s up, Yuuri?”

The Crown Prince still looked annoyed as he accepted a piece of slimy fruit from Lev who’d been chewing on it before deciding he wanted Daddy to have it, “ _Thank you_ ,” he dropped it on his plate and wiped his hand off, “In light of… _that_ …” he shot Keishin a mild glare. The other Alpha merely saluted with his cup. “Victor and I would like you all to know that we are expecting again.”

Quiet applause in respect for the sleeping infant.

“When?” Kiyoko asked.

“Six or seven months,” Victor replied, “It’s hard to tell at the moment.”

“Spring baby…!” Koushi grinned, “Hey!” he glanced at his Alpha, leaning into his space, “Maybe we’ll be expecting by then too.”

Daichi flushed a bright red though he looked pleased with the idea, “Maybe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I'll update this story again this week... I'm mega behind on the 'Play with Fire' one-shot due on the 1st and I'm doing moving stuffs this weekend so we'll see what I have time for writing-wise XP


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! I'm back... for this update... More moving shit this weekend though DX  
> I'm so over this ya'll

“Otabek…?”

He glanced up from his book, finding Victor not far away. The older Omega looked… a little troubled… or maybe perturbed. It was hard to tell. “Yes…?” Seung Gil shifted next him, closing his own book with a finger between the pages.

“Might I talk to you…”

“Of course. Is something wrong…?”

“Not exactly,” Victor eyed Seung Gil, face twitching with a spark of annoyance.

Seung Gil straightened, something stubborn in his shoulders, “Would you prefer to be _alone_.”

“Very,” Victor replied without missing a beat.

“Well,” Seung Gil gave something of a forced smile and glanced at Otabek, “I suppose I will see you later.” He stood and went to walk off.

Victor took a half step into his way and almost seemed to sniff him as Seung Gil moved around him. He eyed the Beta, watching him leave the garden.

Otabek honestly felt a little annoyed, “What’s wrong, Victor?”

The Omega turned back with something of a sheepish smile as he sank down where Seung Gil had just been, “I suppose that was rude…”

“ _Fairly_.”

“I’m… not myself… Since Seung Gil’s arrived I… his scent is…” Victor looked pained, “It reminds me of something… someone…”

Otabek’s annoyance disappeared.

This was his chance to gauge who VIctor might react…

“From home…?”

Victor sort of smiled, “Yes…” he looked down, “The thing is… that isn’t even what he smelled like… He was a pup when I last saw him and hadn’t presented yet but… if he were to smell like anything, it would be that.”

“And you miss him?”

“You have no idea,” Victor was almost in tears, “I hadn’t really thought of him in a long time… hurt too much.”

“I’m sorry.”

Victor forced a smile, “I suppose it’s the baby,” he laid a hand over his mostly flat belly, “They seem to do things to me…”

Otabek swallowed, “What would you do… If you could see him again…”

Victor huffed a laugh, “That’s almost...“ the forced smile was painful to look at, “That’s _mean_ , Otabek. You can’t say things like that.”

“Suppose you could though,” Otabek replied, “What would you do?”

The look on Victor’s face was enough.

He’d keep Yuri’s secret to the grave.

He’d already mourned him once… he wouldn’t want to do it again.

Otabek stood, “Meet me in the temple in thirty minutes?”

“Of course... but why?”

“I want to light incense for the baby,” he walked off, trying to not rush. Nobody gave him particularly weird looks so he figured he’d done well enough. He burst into his rooms, spotting the faux-brunette on his bed, “Yuri!”

“What.”

“Victor.”

Yuri scrambled around, eyes huge, “Whatsit! What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. He’s going to be at the temple in a few minutes and we’re going to meet him.”

Yuri froze, “We’re… what…?”

“We’re going to go meet your brother.”

“But what about someone finding out and..”

“He won’t tell a soul.”

“... You’re sure…?”

Otabek nodded, “If he knows you’re alive… he will do anything to keep you that way.”

Yuri nodded to himself and got dressed in something a little more appropriate. _Getting_ Yuri to the temple was little… interesting. Going in a group was one thing… going as a pair put Yuri under more scrutiny. They made it with little fuss though and Otabek peeked inside to make sure Victor was there before he slipped them both inside.

Victor slowly rose from where he’d been kneeling at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the altar, incense smoke curling to the ceiling, “That was quicker than I expec-” he turned around and froze, “Otabek…?”

“Mm?”

“Who is that?”

“It’s me…” Yuri stepped up, “Yuri…”

Victor’s eyes bugged, “You… can’t be… You can’t be. He’s-”

“Dead?” Yuri kept going, getting closer.

“How…”

“Akira… She heard the noise and shoved me under the bed… Yachi… Yachi jumped into mine… I listened to them, Victor… I saw the feet and listened to them kill them.”

Victor pressed a hand to his mouth, looking absolutely devastated, before he seemed to shove it aside, “Anyone could know that… or know that I don’t actually know what happened. Yuri… _is dead…_ ”

Yuri flinched, “I’m not. I swear I am-”

“Prove it then…!” Victor glared, “Prove you’re Yuri… Only you can’t…”

“I-”

“Yuri… is _blond_.”

Yuri touched his head, “I dyed it.” Victor snorted. “I did! To get into the palace! Beka tell him!”

Otabek wasn’t sure he should be interfering more here but- “I bought the coffee grounds for him. He dyed it in a room at Makki’s while we were waiting for Kenma’s fever to go down.”

“ _Kenma_ …”

“He’s here too!” Yuri replied, “Found his soulmate and everything! I…” Yuri glanced back at him, “Beka-Otabek… He’s-He’s mine…”

Victor eyed him, “Is that so… What about Seung Gil…?”

“That’s-”

“Makka… that dumbass dog,” Yuri cut him off, “I don’t know what happened to her but she’s brown and fluffy.”

“And anyone could-”

“She almost died eating those breakfast rolls you like, the ones with the raisins?”

Victor stilled.

“We had to get her to puke it all up. Remember? She barfed all over Lilia’s roses. She got _pissed_.”

Victor didn’t reply.

“Akira…” Yuri blinked rapidly, “She was always bragging about how she was five minutes older than me. Said I got the braincells she didn’t want and that’s why I’m good at all the useless shit.”

Victor stayed quiet, his own eyes looking a little wet.

“Remember that time you cut your hair and,” Yuri snorted, “you’d cut your hair and stuffed your pants to look like an Alpha and then,” he giggled through the tears, “and then you went through a training session with the trainees and all the actual Alphas were so fucked by the end of it. You put them all in prerut and the fucking Beta trainer didn’t know what was going on-! That fight was the best thing I’ve ever seen!” he cackled, somewhere between laughing and crying.

“Nobody’s supposed to know about that…” Victor looked like he’d seen a ghost, “Yuri…? Is that… are you really?”

Yuri nodded, his face red and splotchy, and let Victor sweep him up in a crushing hug, both of them sobbing. Otabek blinked tears away and looked at the wall to let them have a moment. He wasn’t sure why he felt so overwhelmed by this whole thing… maybe it was the little niggling in the back of his head, the one that was tumbling over itself in joy but there were slivers of pain… and sorrow… and other things he couldn’t quite get a handle on. They didn’t feel like his own either… foreign… He’d been getting fickers of them here and there, some times more strong than others.

Now… now it was a beacon… something bright even in a small corner of his mind.

“I thought for sure you were gone,” Victor choked, “I couldn’t say his name for the longest time without tearing up or crying.”

Otabek _vaguely_ remembered that…

“You always were overly dramatic,” Yuri replied.

Victor ignored that, “You’ve grown up so much…”

“And you’ve gotten old.”

Victor snorted, “I’m not _that_ old am I?”

Yuri cocked a brow, “You’re pretty old.”

They stared at each other for a moment and then simultaneously snorted. Neither said a word for a moment. Victor just stared at Yuri and Yuri… Yuri pretended to not give a shit.

Victor slowly sank into the steps, “So where have you been the last few years.”

“Kinda literally everywhere,” Yuri dropped next to him, “Kenma and I have been… alot of places… just waiting…”

“Waiting for what?” Victor asked when Yuri didn’t continue.

“To get stronger… to have an actual plan…”

Victor stilled, “For what?”

“For taking the throne back.”

“ _Yuri_ …”

“It was **stolen** , Victor-! Rein stole it. He **helped** the _fucking_ Emperor-”

“Yuri-”

“He’s why Akira’s _**dead**_.”

“Stop it-!” Victor hissed, “That’s- you can’t **say** things like that…!”

“Why not? It’s true.”

Victor shook his head, “No-”

“It’s true and he’s killing everything!” Yuri grabbed Victor’s hands, “I was there less than a year ago. It’s bad, Victor, real bad. They’re fucked if something doesn’t happen and **soon**.”

“And what would you do? What do you think you can do to fix it?”

“Kick him off the throne. Reclaim it as the _actual_ heirs.”

“ **Yuri** …”

“No. Our laws don’t prevent an Omega King. We could go and kick him off by birthright! Whatever counsel he’s got would _have_ to back us or be held in contempt-”

“That’s if they haven’t rewritten everything.”

“But Georgi’s still alive right? We could at least get him if they’ve made it so Omegas can’t rule anymore.”

“I…”

“Victor… Our people are dying. We have to do something. Rein only cares about the power. He’s killing our country and nothing’s stopping him. We **have** to do something. Even starting a rebellion is better than nothing at this point.”

“Yuri…” Victor bit his lip, “You… It’s a wonderful idea… but it’s going to require time and skills, alot of talking especially if you want to rile the crowds against him.”

“That’s why you have to come with me. I’m no good at that shit.”

Victor shook his head, “I can’t leave.”

“Can’t… or won’t….”

“Yuri. It’s not that black and white anymore…” Victor looked upset, “I’m married, Yuri… I have two kids,” he laid a hand over his belly, “three come the spring. I don’t know if Yuuri would even let me leave the country right now…” He unclasped something at the back of his neck.

Yuri leaned back, “No.”

Victor pulled it off, curling it into a loose fist, kissing it like it was the most precious thing before extending his hands and dragging it over Yuri’s head, “It should be you.”

“Victor no-”

“You have such a fire in you, Yuri.”

“I don’t want it.”

“You've grown well. You’ll do our people good.”

Yuri grabbed his wrists, “It was supposed to be you.”

Victor smiled a little, “I’ll rule from a different throne… You. You rule Vetios.”

Yuri shook his head, “No-”

“You’ve seen what our people have gone through. You’ve been them… Who better to rule than someone who’s been both?”

“I don’t know a thing about ruling.”

“Your Alpha does. He’s been taught since he was able to have lessons. He’ll teach you.”

Yuri teared up, “Don’t leave me again… “

“Oh Yura,” Victor wrapped his arms around the younger Omega, “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be here if you need me-”

“I **do** need you. In Vetios..!”

“My place is here, Yura… Mine is here and yours is not.”


End file.
